The Hawkeye of Hardbodies & More
by CupcakeKvara
Summary: I had unoffically retired from bounty hunting and all underworld work. But old habits die hard and friends aren't so willing to give up on your old habits. But when a favor is requested on the behalf of the head of the Dragonriders the lure of a world I thought I left behind calls me more than ever before all in the arms of a man I should be running from. NaLU 1st fic
1. Hardbodies & More

_**Authors Notes: So this is my first attempt at a fanfic...well one that I've published for public eyes. There may be some OOCness however I will try to keep it to a bare minimum. Constructive critics are welcome rude trolls and buttmunches however will be ignored and probably deleted and not read. **_

_**In other notes: Major Kudos to those who know what Anime and Manga I got the idea for this from! **_

_**NEWS FLASH!: I do not own Fairy Tail Or any of their characters...**_

_**Chapter 1**_

"Thank you for shopping at Hardbodies and more!" The perky young woman smiles at the expecting couple that leaves her shop after purchasing a vinyl sticker family sticker set. She sighs in relief as their overly sunny presence was actually distracting...never the less the vibe that the wife may have hidden something...never mind it wasn't her business. Though her shop specialized in parts for those more serious about their cars, she carried a few knickknacks to appeal to the more...mundane customer. Granted she didn't particularly care for the stupid fad of telling me exactly how many people are in your family but if people would spend money on it in her shop, she'll carry a few.

A few.

Key word: _Few _

Hardbodies & More was Magnolia's main place for obtaining hard to get, aftermarket, and (for the right price and "insurance") black-market car and bike parts. Some would argue that there was no better place in all of Fiore. It was no mistake either. The young owner had worked her butt off to get it that way. She'd forged connections, gotten a degree in computer sciences with a minor in business, graduated at the top of her class and all while keeping an odd hour full-time job. She didn't brag but she still thought she did pretty good for herself. Besides...she had to provide for herself...no more mooching.

Brown eyes scan her latest shipping voucher. "Huh, so that part is finally in for that 1969 Mercury C. Eliminator...I know he'll be ecstatic..." she laughs recalling how he'd all but drooled on her counter when assured that she could not only find the part needed but have it installed. He didn't need to know that she would be the one installing it...Growing up the adopted daughter of the biggest car manufacturer in all of Fiore had its perks. Such as easily getting certified to work on cars by age 18...but then again her "Brother" hadn't helped in his pushing. He'd wanted to show off his 'new' little sister and the best way to do that was to use her photographic memory to make her an ace mechanic. Once finding out about her gifts it became his personal mission to make sure she saw as many cars as possible. With him getting into street racing it became a fairly easy task. She could drive by twelve...not legally mind you...but drive...drag...and drift by twelve. Laxus got in so much trouble once his grandfather found out. Even if he seemed secretly rather proud. Mavis, her family was SO weird...but she loved them regardless.

Green and purple faintly waif into view from the corner of her eyes warning her before: "Lucy? These numbers here are a little off on the bank statements. I might have to go down to the bank and do some double checking. Are you going to be ok for a while alone?" Pushing blonde hair back from her face as she looks up from the paper she was perusing.  
"You do realize who you're talking to right? I'll be fine Freed and if anyone tries anything I have my trusty SIG P210 for when someone tries something stupid and my WA2000 in the garage. You worry too much." The green haired man smirks subtlely. "I suppose but you know Laxus would never forgive me if something happened to you." Brown orbs roll in frustration. "Yes, I know...geeze. Chill. You won't be gone that long right? I'll be ok for an hour or two. Can you bring back lunch?" she picks up her coffee mug to take a sip out of. The gun handle fitting all too familiarly in her hand. Sometimes he worried that Laxus was a bad influence on his little sister. She was girly but had a tomboyish streak a mile and a half wide. Just take her wardrobe! She had cute outfits galore but only ever wore her jeans and ICON or FOX t-shirts to work hair in one wild pony or two low pig tails like they are now. Freed despaired over her actually getting a date. Never the less a decent boyfriend. Shaking his head in resignation, knowing that this was a futile battle he simple accepted it and moved on. "Sure, what do you want AND don't say chinese! I can't take anymore Egg Foo Young." Pouting she sighs. "Fine. How about a deli sandwich and chips?" he agrees and heads out the door pulling on his suit coat. He was so boringly formal...how the heck was _he _friends with Laxus?

Returning to her work she's able to work in peace for about thirty minutes before the door chime sounds breaking her out of her revere. Looking up she sees the group of a well-known bike gang come in. "This place is legit. You can find any part you need or have it found. They even put them on if you need it." Max, a usual to her shop comes in gushing. His geeky bowl cut ever his identifier. He kept claiming that he was going to bring it back in style. After 2 years it doesn't seem he's made any progress on that front. His presence, usually was a sandy experience. She always felt that talking with him was like dealing with a bowl of sand... not nessicarily unpleasant underfoot...but sometimes very annoying when stuck on the hands. But oddly enough his "sandy' presence was actually much more toned down and bearable. Despite his looks and perhaps a little fanboyish tendencies he was a top-notch biker. He had to be apart of the The Dragonriders. They were known all over Fiore. They had the best bikes and the best times...and the fiercest fists...

"Nah, I can handle that part. I'm pretty good with my hands." The casual but warm response from a slightly taller man who followed him. He was new. Geeze he's like vibrating with...warmth? WEIRD. She'd never seen or felt someone like him before. First impressions: _"If he dyed his hair that rose color he's a completionist as even his eyebrows are that color...he pulls it off well...REALLY well. He's built too as that jacket is not as padded as Max's still the same width but not too wide. Just right ...Down girl it's not professional to drool over customers. In fact I think it's technically rude."_ Max sighs his shoulders almost slump just a hair. Second impression: _"Max wants to impress him, somewhat. Is he important?" _

"That's not what the last girl said." The third man coming in behind him jokes earning a pretty hard punch from Mr. Good-with-his-hands. This guy felt...icy but in a strangely pleasant way like a crisp fall morning. He had black hair that was almost blue with very dark blue eyes. He looked built too. These guys must stay in a gym or honestly work for a living. She could get used to them coming in on a regular if only to give her eye candy. Max turns back towards the interior of the store, his eyes lighting up as he makes eye contact. "Lucy!"

"It's been a while Max. Been keeping Bethany in good working order?" the other two men look surprised that she knew his bike's private name. She knew more than his bikes name in the Dragonriders...they all named their bikes. He was a new recruit and often blabbed too much to Lucy. Max blushes. "Yeah...but I need a fuel cap..." She blinks. "You lost another one? She should dump you."

"Don't talk like that!? Bethany would never do that!" Lucy playfully waves him off. " yeah yeah...Yamaha FZ1 2013 right? Be right back. I ordered several because you keep loosing them..." She walks to her back room. Max had the grace to blush sheepishly at her admittance. "And when I return you can introduce me to your friends." He blushes again at his lapse in manners.

Lucy was an odd girl. At once down-to-earth, hard-working, tomboyish, and relateable. But by the same token girly and manner bound in some respects. Introductions are paramount for proper business dealings after all. Max sighs forlornly. "That guys is Lucy Heartfillia. The hottie owner of Hardbodies & More. She knows her stuff, is a genius when it comes to cars and bikes and is totally unattainable." Good-with-his-hands lifts a brow. "Really? SHE's the mechanic? Not like her boyfriend or dad or brother?" Max looks at him seriously. "Yes, Natsu. She's damn good and would be a great contact to have. Better than trying to get what we need over the internet. Please don't piss her off. Help me out here Gray." The third man shrugs. "He's got a point Natsu. This place looks well equipped and the second level looks actually really secure...and it's next to the local gun shop the..."

"The Chamber." Lucy supplies for them as she walks back up to the counter. Natsu blinks he hadn't heard her...odd, Max thought nothing of it, but Gray cast Natsu a knowing glance, they could hear the slight warning in her tone. She was protective. Damn right, and she was rather proud of that trait. People always thought her a princess. Oh how wrong they where. "Azlack and Bisca Connall own it. They have a lovely little girl..." her once kind, and warm, eyes now wary and guarded. Her unspoken warning about harming her neighbors clear to the men. Max quickly jumps in. "Yeah, we love them! I go there sometimes just for the firing range in the back!" Natsu and Gray got slightly longer looks before she turns back to Max smiling once again her kind smile. "These are my friends, Natsu and Gray." She turned and looked at them both her eyes wary then tentatively kind.

"_Perhaps I over reacted...they seem nice enough. Not harmless...but nice." _

"Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lucy Heartfillia, but just Lucy is fine." she offers her hand. Gray accepts first grinning causing a faint chill to run up her arm before stopping right at the base of her skull. She grit her teeth politely and bore it, too much information, she'll sort it later. "Max loves this place. We swear he would sleep here if he could. I'm Grey." Lucy laughs. "I can just see my accountant's face when coming in in the morning to open up." she then shakes Natsu's hand. He blinks down at her firm grip in curiousness but soon smiles brightly at her making him seem almost boyish. The cold was instantly overrun by a wave of heat and another dose of information she really wanted to do with out...huh so he **was** good with his hands.

"_TMI Lucy, focus!" _

"Natsu. Good to meet ya. We had to come to the place Max keeps cooing over. I gotta say I'm impressed. I'll be back, I got a new bike I'm making. Might need a few after market parts." Lucy nods. "I can help you with those. I can email you a list when your ready." She hands him a surprisingly classy black business card with magenta metallic and silver writing. Taking a breath Natsu blinks. "Honey- Vanilla...nice." Gray looks at him curiously.

Lucy looks at Max and lifts a brow at him. She clears her throat slightly at him drawing his eyes up again from the "FOX" logo stretched enticingly over her chest. Yes she knew it was large...she didn't do back sit ups and wear heavy-duty sports bras every day for nothing. Her back never forgive her if she forgot. Max jumps and looks nervously at her. "HA! Uh..." Lucy leans on the counter. "If this is how you deal with women. Stick with Bethany, after all you get to ride her every night, right?" she's punching something into the cash register. "13.75." he pays obediently. "Yeah...sorry." Gray and Natsu laugh at his pain. "I'll see you friday right?" she says easily forgiving him for his lapse. "You know it, my tires come in right!?" She nods. "They are on schedule for delivery then. I'll have them all ready to go for you too."

Natsu looks down at his watch frowning. "We gotta go. You know how she is if we're late." They all pale.

"You're the best! Lucy!" Max hurries towards the door. "Thanks we gotta go! Got a meeting..." Lucy waves him off. "Less I know the better." She waits and listens to the pleasing purr of his engine be joined with two much more powerful ones. One of them being much more forceful and deep than either of the other two. It was the first to drive off. Two more customers, of that she was sure. Possibly more the Dragonriders where a sizable group with satellite groups all over Fiore. Those bikes where well-kept and no doubt had some custom parts. Oh yes, they will be back, you can't get better parts anywhere. Indeed, providing a quality product and quality service at a fair price is the key to getting customers. Word of mouth is the best form advertisement when you have a good service. And she always made sure she had great service.


	2. Lunch & Advice

_**Hey! Guess what?**_

_**I still do not own Fairy Tail or their characters. *sighs* **_

_**Chapter 2 **_

Natsu's mouth burns pleasantly as the ginger tab sticks to the roof of his mouth, disappointingly removing the pleasant smell from his nose. If he didn't need them to get to where he needed to go... He looks back up at her neon sign. _That chick has a odd sense of humor...Hardbodies & More? _he laughs and shakes his head as he drives off on his bike, Igneel. He silently relished the low rumble from the engine between his legs. He smiles as Grey rolls up on Ur. Natsu nods and turns off at the next street towards Everafter the local five-star restaurant and bar created by the Fairy Tail Inc. He absently listens to Gray and Max banter a bit in his headset but declines to join in. He had other things on his mind.

Such as Erza calling a meeting on such short notice. It wasn't like her. Like her home life, which was horribly, and meticulously scheduled out so was her work life. Being near the top of the Shadow Division makes her a pretty busy woman...on paper at least. Honestly, she's usually never called into service as such extreme measures are typically avoided by Fairy Tail. But...the occasion has arisen...thus the need for her division...and his for that matter. The Dragonriders have a very specific job within Fairy Tail and Natsu as the head of them was the face of said operation. Which is why he and Gray, his second, was summoned. Pulling into the cement brick building's parking lot. It was packed as usual. The front was covered in vines and reminded one of a castle out of a fairy tail, with gated front entrance to the outdoor café and even banners hanging majestically from the bell tower and from the two on either side. The key stone of the building proudly bore the fairy tail mark proclaiming it's parent company. All of the Shadow Division had the same mark tattooed on their person as well. The Dragonriders had a symbol of their own but that was only ever found on their custom riding jackets. First and foremost they where Fairy Tail.

The out-door cafe was set up to entice those of all walks of life. there was actually a sun roof over top to keep out the elements but allow the illusion of purely enjoying the sun. Fans and heaters where spaced about the tables to keep patrons happy. On either side of the space where two bars. Usually however only one was kept open. It was towards the building front doors and off to the far right where they found Erza Scarlett seated at one of the wooden picnic tables having a sandwich and soup with hot tea. Head of the N-force, with hair as red as her name, and a no-nonsense attitude that would make men twice her size cower. She was fit and frankly was considered by many men to be quite hot...if one who didn't grow up with her could look at her like that. Natsu and Gray, frankly, found her scary and think she's part demon. _But some say the same about me...but if she gets even a hint of the rush I do when someone says that to me in terror...well I guess I wouldn't try to change how I'm seen either._ And he'd imagine that as the head of a group whose primary job was to scare the ever-living Sh*t out of people such a belief would be relished.

There are those who have decent money and organization and first and foremostly, refuse to cooperate or at least leave Fairy Tail and it's holdings alone. _We don't give two shits about you liking us. We 'd like you to but you don't have to. Not everyone will be friends, but you damn well better leave us and those we consider ours alone._ Those that don't on a repeated basis with requests for agreements turned down often get visited by one of two parts of the Shadow Division. The "N-Forcers" or the "Dragonriders" neither of which you want to open your door too. The "N-Force" was a part of the Shadow Division that specialized in neutralizing problems quickly and quietly and avoiding attention. Usually, high-profile people call for their time. They also occasionally act as couriers of messages between the heads of Fairy Tail and other such "families" as a business liason for... family matters. The "Dragonriders" was the street strike force and the face of Fairy Tail to the underworld. They specialized in quickly quelling the street sides of such organizations and keeping a finger to the pulse of the underworld. A highly mobile group that made stings, fast in, and out with sometimes a rather bruital quelling of such dissidents. Though strangely, to outsiders at least, neither group has been known to kill. That is only ever a very last resort for either force. If The Dragonriders where the things that walked along dark allies and went bump in the night the N-Force was the boogie man who no one technically believed in but was still a successful means of scaring those that would begin to think about causing issues. Unfortunately for some these threats are very real and with connections all over Fiore and in some neighboring countries, the reach was far and wide.

The group was walking up from the front to make their presence known. Natsu had approached her back once...and had paid for it dearly. One bruised back and broken table later he never forgot to not sneak up on Erza. But in a weird way that made him feel better about his level of skill. The fact that he was quiet enough to get within striking distance of Erza without alerting her is a badge he wears with pride.

When she's not around.

He wasn't stupid.

He dodged and nodded a silent apology to a smartly dressed green haired man who exited the main building holding a sizeable to-go bag just as Natsu and the others where nearing the aisle to reach the red-head. The man had returned the acknowledgement. They passed without another thought. Erza looks up smiling. "Natsu, Gray, I'm glad you could meet with me on such short notice. Hello Max." Natsu sighs _Like we wouldn't pay for it later if we couldn't...make it. _Not that he would say that out loud... Gray answers readily as he sits. "Not a problem." All three sit down and place their orders. Natsu going for a medium Rare devil burger with black pepper fries. Grey a North Ocean fish platter, and Max a deli sandwich light meat Panini corse ground mustard and extra pickles on the side. Erza waits patiently as they place their orders. Once done she begins to speak. "Jose...has been taken care of. He would not simply leave us be after the incident. Master deemed that he needed to be...neutralized of a more perminate manner than before." Natsu and Gray had expected that. Jose was a stubborn bastard that had grown his own organization up from the ground up to be a sizable force in both the business world and underworld, had thought he could attempt a hostile take over.

_Dumbass._

Natsu chuckles as he sips his Crimson lotus: fist. "So your worried about mini rebellions popping up from followers and loyalists."

"Yes. Do you have the force to quell them if the need should arrive?"

"Course we do. Who do you think you're talking to?" he grins. "The Dragonrider's are always ready to fight."

"It's what you do best." Their food came and along with it a nice slice of strawberry short-cake with home-made whipped topping. Max stared in shock. Grey and Natsu don't even take a second glance, this having been the norm ever since they can remember which was admittedly for quite some time now. It's what aided in the comfortable silence as they ate.

The Burger was perfect...as always. As the Flag Ship restaurant of Fairy Tail Everafter had to be top-notch. Master has an excellent eye for people and a rare business sense for success. Soon all their plates where empty. Natsu sits back contentedly. Grey speaks up "There is something...I think we need to discuss. The new craze in street racing is the drifts. We have none to bring to the table as a presence in that arena. We have muscle, dragsters and even show cars. We have all the facets of Bikes covered. Hell even non sport bikes are well represented by some of our older members. But...this is new and it's not an easy skill to learn. Gajeel transports and he specializes in muscle cars. Jet has the experience with the type of car nessicary but not the skill. Droy is a better navigator than driver... I figure we either need a trainer or maybe to recruit from the outside." Natsu looks at Gray. "Why can't Gajeel learn?"

"Because he doesn't like the light cars needed for drifting and...he can't fit in those."

"Good reason. I guess we recruit a trainer. The trick is finding someone."

Erza speaks up. "I guess it's easier to have this discussion with Gajeel." Natsu makes a face. He hated talking to that guy...he was so...assy. "I guess."

"He is your best source of reliable info when it comes to cars. That's why he was brought on. Suck it up and go ask."

"Yeah suck it up. Pansy-ass." Grey echos needling Natsu with a sly grin.

"Shut up, you frosty fuck-tard!"

"The HELL you sa~!?" Erza suddenly glares at them from over her tea causing both to freeze. "No fighting!"

"Aye sir!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Natsu. Stop being stubborn and go talk to him. Don't make me repeat myself."

"Aye..." Even Grey winced at that.

Erza closes her eyes again in quiet bliss confident that peace among friends now reigns and that her suggestion would be considered.

For the moment at least.


	3. C4 and Crackers, Lunch of champs!

_**Authors Notes: I know it's murky right now but it'll come clear as the chapters progress. **_

_**Yes Laxus is Lucy's 'brother' how will be explained later. I just like messing with Freed...he makes me giggle.**_

_**Natsu: I just minimized his motion sickness a bit. Only to the point where he's able to handle it with ginger tabs. Also I made it a bit pyschosomatic which is why he names his bike. It's a friend not a vehicle...Fun Fact: It comes back full force when in a confined vehicle such as a car, truck, or plane etc. **_

_**Oh yeah: I no own Fairy Tail**_

_**Chapter 3**_

"Look I just need some suggestions. And Erza told me to ask _you. _Since you deal with cars and shit."

"Don 't force yourself, Salamander. You could just keep stumbling around on your own. Kinda fun to watch. Besides I don't drive no ricers don't hang around with many people who do to that kind of skill level."

"Gajeel!" The tiny woman who was studying her computer screen turns around and chasteses him. "That is NOT appropriate language. Call them "Imports." The burly and overly pieced man simply shrugs. "Whatever."

"Ugh." She frustratedly flips a azure lock over her shoulder before going back to perusing her latest program codes. It had to be **perfect. **Natsu sighs dealing with the big man was ever the practice of frustration and patience. Ever since the first meeting...and the consicutive ass beating Natsu delt out...they have a tenious partnership at best. Levy being really the only one who can mediate and Erza the only one who can out right prevent rematches. And here he'd swallowed his pride all for naught. Pantherlily came stalking towards Natsu's legs and graced him with a faint brush before walking off towards Gajeel where he promptly leapt up to the mantle of the fireplace to his masters shoulder. His gold eyes staring about clearly like he owned the apartment. Because as cat logic would have it he does.

"But Gajeel has a point...Drifting or Powersliding (if it's a All wheel drive or front wheel drive car) is a delicate art. The person MUST know stick (you'd be laughed off the circut come up there with a auto though theoretically it's not impossible just difficult), have a fine understanding of throddle control. Not to mention feeling the grip and successfully predicting weight transfer which also means that they have to be very familiar with their cars or are a natural behind the wheel of just about any car that's built for it. And they need a good ear for the engine and when to (if they need to powerover to succeed on a turn) a delecate touch with the steering, or they could flip...this is a pretty specific set of skills. Especially if you need someone to learn it. It's not impossible but it's a skill that can take years to master and compete in." She idily rattles off as she makes coding adjustments here and there. Both men break off their glares to stare at her. Natsu with a look of pure shock as he had no clue this entailed all of that. Gajeel, however now looks like he's about to eat Levy for lunch. And Dinner...

Oh what the hell maybe a few snacks in between...

"_Better get what I can before those two dissolve into a more than __**I**__want to see at this time." _Natsu directs his attention to the girl as she seems way better informed than his resident car specialist. "Maybe I'm asking the wrong one. Levy? Do you know someone who could fill this role?" Levy blinks and looks up. "I know two, but one certainly doesn't have time and the other...retired from that."

"What are they old?"

"No! Don't let her hear you say that she'd kill you. She's just moved on. The other is busy doing stunt work for movies and is now engaged."

"A _girl_? Is one of your people?"

"Yeah so? Got a problem with that?" Natsu quickly backs away from the brown eyes that are suddenly glaring at him. The computer monitor giving her a sinister uplight in her darkened apartment. "No, no not at all...heh." Levy sniffs and stands up going to her fridge moving aside her C4 to get to her bottled water.

"I guess our best bet is the one in retirement. Why did they stop drifting?" Gajeel grunts.

The young woman looks up from her new reach for some peanut butter and glares. "Is this really nessicary? It's just a race. We don't show up to those from time to time."

"This thing is hitting big here in Fiore and all the family's are flocking there. We can't aford not to have a presence there. We know that information is going to be passed here and since it's new the Pigs aren't set up to deal with this yet. The lips will be very loose. More at the first than at any consecutive one afterwards."

Gajeel leans off the wall and walks over to his table and picks up one of his many knifes to clean some grease from under his nails. "Hate to admit it shrimp but Salamander's right." he wipes his blade off on his black cover alls. "We need someone bad. At least at the first race to make a good showing."

" How do we contact her?" Natsu asks watching her actions carefully. _Levy's reluctant...why? It's not like her when she has help to offer to hesitate..._

"_You_, don't. I handle it." Both Natsu and Gajeel frown at that.

"Come again?" Gajeel rumbles warningly. _And that is not the right way to get her to do what you want..._ Natsu fights the urge to slap Gajeel. _Way to possibly make her even more reluctant to help us._ Not that he didnt' understand the sentiment. All of Fairy Tail was fiercely protective of who they consider family, but for some reason the men where doubly protective of the women of the group. Levy sighs having known that look was going to show at her terse demand. Natsu was glad. It seemed that though she was irritated she didn't seem to take it personally and didn't feel offended. The boys just took their job as 'men' seriously and having a woman fight what they felt where their battles for them didn't sit well with any one of them. Sure some of it had to do with testosterone, even Natsu agreed to that, but that didn't make it bad or insulting. After all Erza could command any one of them and they wouldn't think. So too could Mira for that matter. But that didn't change the fact that they would feel guilty if those very same girls got hurt. Sure part of it is selfish, they didn't want to see their fierce women as anything less than fearless and capable. The thought of them ever being less than that...

_And I'm going to stop that train of thought right there._ It would probably cause the worst gang war in history and bully for the fool who caused it. Because he surely wouldn't survive the retribution.

"You heard me. _I'm _going to handle talking to her. After all I used to be her partner and navigator when in college. She's used to me and will respond to me better. I know how to talk to her." Natsu frowns. "Navigator? But wait you said that in college you was..." Levy slathers peanut butter on a cracker and then a dollop of jam as she looks up at him, rather resembling a kid making a mess. "A Bounty hunter? Yeah?" she pops the cracker sandwich into her mouth before setting about making another.

"What does bounty hunting have to do with drifting?"

"Uh we where two cute girls, in a HOT car with enough horses to out run most porkers and college was too easy for us. Why do you **think** we'd know about drifting? I got my first steady boyfriend there..." she sighs reminiscing. Gajeel bristles suddenly. Levy's face suddenly frowns. "yeah...but he was a asshole...don't miss him. Left him an awesome good-bye present though...two king size snickers in the gas tank of his mustang." Gajeel's anger suddenly gave away to fear as red eyes suddenly create a very sharp contrast to his dark hair and now abnormally, pale complexion. "He's lucky I didn't leave a "Levy Special" strapped to the engine..."

Natsu was thankful as well. She may have been in jail for that stunt... Levy specials where hand built grenades made by the bomb specialist herself to have no shrapnel. Simply pure explosive power and, surprisingly, actually better control. Also less likely to be lethal, provided you wasn't right on top of it... You always knew they where hers because of the blue smoke that always accompanied their explosions. Ironically that's how she had met Gajeel after a transport job gone wrong.

"But anyway. I need time to butter her up and help her acclimate. She's not going to be all that willing to just come do this for us. She doesn't know Fairy Tail or any of you." Natsu thinks. It's true. What _would _someone who's a retired drifting bounty hunter serve to gain by joining the Shadow Division of Fairy Tail? Levy smirks. "We have a month right? Let me get to talking with her, maybe I can find something to entice her in. She's stubborn and just as smart as I am..."

"Shit, another braniac...just what we need..."

"But that doesn't mean she doesn't have her weaknesses."

"Like yours being the back of your knees? Gah!" Gajeel got a spoon, still filled with peanut butter tossed onto his face, where it was presently hanging. "Pervert. I'm trying to think up a plan. Please keep your dirty thoughts at bay." She looks at Natsu. "If we can get her you'd get much more than just a drifter, but also someone with experience with firearms, dealing nonlethal damage and mechanics."

"Sounds like she'd make a great Dragonrider. Can't wait to meet her." Natsu grins.

Elsewhere a specific blonde sneezes into her delicious club sandwich. "Ugh. Snot, sure adds that extra flavor this was missing..."

"You'd better not be coming down with anything! Do I need to send you up to bed? "

"Dammit Freed I'm fine! Stop babying me!"


	4. NSA Threat AKA Girls Day out!

**Oops loaded the wrong chapter. Fixed now. Sorry about that! **

**Chapter 4**

"Going to your usual haunt...again? Even though we had it for lunch." Lucy leans out the shop's back door grinning at him as she prepares to lock up for the night a smear of grease across her nose and left cheek. The man in question stiffens almost inperciveably. "Maybe. Why?" He closes the passenger door of his BMW. "Their lounge is quite nice and their specialty drinks are second to none. Forgive me if I like a drink after a hard day of working for such a grungy and unladylike superior."

"This grungy unladylike superior might just forget to hit the 'pay' button before going to bed tonight..."

"AH~! Lucy-sama~! Your beauty is quite ravishing this full moon night! And that grease just seems to add that just the right touch of...hmm"

"Yeah, yeah don't try to feed me that. Anyway see you tomorrow morning."

"Lucy, why not get changed into something nice and come with me?" Lucy stops and blinks back at him. "What?"

"All you do is work, eat, and sleep. You never go out you have no girlfriends to talk to..."

"I talk with Bisca all the time! And Levy."

"About GUNS, CARS, CAR ENGINE'S and BOMBS! Your like a homeland security threat waiting to happen between the three of you! Never mind, your probably on the NSA's radar from your college years as it is...When was the last time you went out shopping?"

"Well, last week I..."

"Guns don't count."

"_Fine_ two weeks ago..."

"Nor do car parts."

"Dammit Freed, stop sucking the sunshine out of my girls days out."

"I'm just saying. Maybe you can have a girls night out instead...NOT at the firing range. Go out to a bar or a club, movie and a dinner.. Maybe Bisca can set you and Levy up on dates even. "

"Levy's recently got a boyfriend."

"Levy has? Well... see there's hope for you."

Lucy sighs. He means well...really. But she's never been a girly girl and, frankly it's miraculous that she even has three girls to talk to. It's hard to date men and get close to people when you are intimate with all the negative being obvious to you upon meeting them. But in Freed's eyes that just meant I had to look a little harder. If ONLY it where that simple. "Look I..not to night Freed..thank you though." He sighs looking disappointed but doesn't push. He's well aware of how stubborn she can be about these things. Lucy hugs him gently, tentatively, careful of her greasy facial status and his still crisp white shirt. He hugs back with a surprising tightness given that, willingly initiated large bodily contact from Lucy, was a rare event. "Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you care so much. How about I try to do better and...tomorrow I'll go with you." He perks his 'vibrations' rising too causing Lucy's lips to instinctively curve in the same direction.

"You promise?"

"Yes, and you know that I never break my promises." She waves him off grin still in place. It's always been like this... If Laxus was attempting to make sure his little sister was accepted by his racing buddies, Freed was always attempting to make sure that she would be accepted by society as a whole. It made for fun but hectic life growing up. But old habits die hard. Laxus is always signing her up for more underworld forums and Freed is always pushing for her to get out. Though to be perfectly honest...she **is** a bit of a homebody and surprisingly she has come to peace with that. She has her social moments (somewhat rare given her socially orientated line of work...) and her (much more common now) anti-social moments. Unfortunately, the latter has been more common lately than the former. Would she like to go on dates?

Hell yes.

Do many of her customer's look delectable?

Double hell yes. Scrumptious even.

Does she have the time?

Nope

Does the guy usually act like a ass hole who suddenly thinks that with her on his arm now she no longer owns a business, knows nothing about cars or drives or shoots or anything that makes her who she is? AND that she's suddenly just a girly girl who will sit in his car or on his bike giggling at his sucky jokes?

Yep.

And **That** is why she doesn't waste her time on dates. That and those guys grate on her senses. Sure she could go looking out side of such circles but she loves what she does...and finding someone out side of such a lifestyle who will love and accept her and this life she's chosen? That's a very tall order without finding a wuss. No Lucy knew that she had a strong will and a stubborn streak. She needed someone with a, equally, strong will in return that was tempered with kindness and understanding for the man to match her. Those last two where crucial. She'd tried the strong will before...only to have a man who attempted to run her. That was a nasty break up...

Sighing as she walks back inside and begins to lock up for the night and turning out all her internal shop lights and locking the garage when her cell phone goes off. "ugh this better not be Stick-in-the-mud.." looking at the screen she frowns. Levy? Answering happily. "Hey, Levy? What's up? You usually don't call on Thursday nights. Everything alright?" She was just a tad worried...Levy had not brought her boyfriend by so that Lucy could 'scan' him. So she was always paranoid that he was going to turn out to be a psycho...well it was hard to be more dangerous than Levy...but still~!

"Of course. I just wanted to see if you'd be up for looking over my new encryption program and telling me how it works? I need another set of eyes on it that knows what's going on."

"Sure but why didn't you call Hibiki?" She recalls the cutie computer genius from her college classes. "Didn't you keep in contact with him, he might be a better choice seeing as that was his major." There is a brief pause. "No...I can't do that. This is kinda a competition thing and I know he's in it and I don't want him winning because I allowed him to see my work."

"That's a good point. Alright. Want to send it to me via Drop Box?"

"I'd rather give it to you in person. Can I meet you tomorrow evening after work?"

"I would...but I just promised Freed that I would go out tomorrow evening with him to that Everafter place he coos over."

"That's perfect! I can give it too you then. We could dress cute and have a evening! It's been a minute since we just hung out looking shallow." She jokes. Lucy can't help but laugh as she closes her security gates. "True...and Freed always asks about you. But won't your new boy toy dislike the idea of you being out alone where strange men can accost you?" She laughs at the stories that Levy often tells her of her boyfriend's overprotective reasoning. "Actually I can do it there...he considers that a safe place."

"Makes it sound like your a lost child or something..."

"He's just over protective...Speaking about boyfriends have you...?"

"Yeah so tomorrow? I'll come about 7:30! don't worry I'll catch a ride with Freed OH look I have ten seconds to set the alarm down here. Gotta go, see you tomorrow Levy!"

**Call ended.**

"tch. Liar." the other girl grouses knowingly into the phone as she watches her computer screen. Your Alarm is already set."


	5. Cocktails, Creepers, & 'Cuffs

**Notes: There will be quite a bit going on in this chapter. Lots of clipping back and forth and explanations passed around. You may have to take your time to read as it's long but I couldn't find any other good stopping point. Sorry. Lucy wears a dress in this chapter and if you *really* want to know what she's wearing Check out and look at the Micheline Dress but imagine the skirt is pink. Also I discovered another fact about myself...I'm no good at writing Crazy...**

**BTW: Fairy Tail is not mine...just the idea for this story...**

**Chapter 5**

It was a pleasantly slow day at Hardbodies and Lucy was making the most of it. She'd managed to organize the sticker wall, add a few more options to her steering wheel orders, give Max his tires, AND do an oil change on her own car: Supernova. Freed had not let up on her promise and had made sure to remind her every hour on the hour. Speaking of which it was 3pm...turning to the side door she sees a Chartreuse head slowly peeks out from around the corner she the door to the office is located. "Wouldn't want you to forget you know and not keep your promise~..." he says sounding almost like a lost spirit beckoning to her to his dark corner. He even had faintly gray waves coming off of him. Refusing to look in his direction she sighs.

"I never break my promises and you know it." The head and haunting eyes slowly sink back into the darkened room they had initially emerged from.

Sighing Lucy predicted that she had about 45-60 more minutes before he reemerged from his dark hole to make sure she had not pulled an escape.

Not that she didn't want to. Public places and large gatherings made her a bit nervous.

Nothing phobic, mind you, but too many people usually didn't sit to well with her. In fact in worst case scenarios it could overload her.

She'd always been sensitive to the 'vibrations' of people and what aura's they give off. They bothered her quite a bit when she was little...just like when she'd tried to warn her parents before...

"N_o let's not go back into that now." _

Even at races, which she enjoyed, she would prefer to sit in her car. Once acclimated however she was capable of moving around and acting normally. For a while at least before finally getting 'tired' and simply retreating to her car. She only went places with a select few people. Those who were sensitive to her plight and could read her signs of discomfort as they appear and the rare few who seem to have a dampening effect on her abilities. In her entire life she only has met one: Laxus. When in his company the colors and waves dampen down to an acceptable level of control. Unfortunately it doesn't help if people touch her but it does make life a bit easier. Levy called it a gift. Lucy rather saw it as a moderate level curse. Yes she the ever practical Lucy Heartfilia had what appeared to be ESP. No matter her research and her first attempts to argue it away she couldn't dispute what she had experienced and seen ever since she could remember. Laxus and Freed had at first teased her but after a few incidents have instead become something like her bodyguards and that grated even more than the fluctuating colors she saw everywhere at times. When she was little she could understand it as the migraines and upset stomach would sometimes debilitate her. But she had learned to turn down the intensity and she's an adult now. She wasn't glass...just needed adjustment time. Laxus eventually understood during college and began to carefully cultivate a group of people around her that wouldn't grate on her senses but still provide social interactions. It's why her shop was an excellent idea for her. She got info, met new people but in small doses with recovery time afterward. Large groups didn't suddenly decide to go car and bike parts shopping all at once giving her time to adjust to each new person quickly as they come in. She had adapted and now it was simply something she was used to dealing with and usually was excellent about not letting it change her life too much. She glanced back at the door seeing faint afterglow of Freed's presence. He **was** bad today. He's been in and out the door so much his auric signature had started to rub off on the edge of the door where he kept grasping it. She had little doubt that as soon as she starts to lock up he'll be upstairs in her closet picking out her clothes. _"Gah! He's so freaking Metro it's almost scary."_

* * *

After the last light was switched and the last door locked Lucy found herself, unceremoniously, but predictably, picked up and tossed into her bathroom in her two bedroom apartment upstairs. Living above her business had lots of perks. Hard to be late to work...no commute...but it had some down sides too...this being one of them. "Shower and put on the outfit I picked for you."

"It's a skirt."

"Yes. And you're not working on anything, only sitting and having a few drinks. You look good in skirts. And technically it's a one piece dress."

"It still has a skirt."

"You will wear that and YOU WILL LIKE IT!"

"Fine, fine...geeze." Showering up Lucy takes the time to center and ground herself. It's a practice that she's come to find helps her prepare her mind for the possible bombardment that's possibly about to happen. She trusted Freed to know what he's doing. She finds it unlikely that he would take her someplace like a club. She had driven pass this Everafter place and found it's look charming. Yesterday the food, though a simple deli sandwich, was delicious and Freed, who was notoriously picky about his restaurants is a regular. Stepping out and drying herself off she steps in front of the mirror and sighs. Her workouts where paying off. Looking at the dress she's happy to see that he chose the black and pink pin-up one. It was a pink pencil skirt with a high waist, black lace cap sleeves, a small black frill at the bottom, a matching gathered lace sweet heart top and a key hole opening in the back. It was one of her favorites she ordered from online. Thankfully the opening was just small enough to hide her scars. She felt the top edge of each shoulder feeling the faint tell-tale pucker of the old scars that began there, edged down, along her scapula, stopping at her waist. A heated knife can do horrid things to the body of a 5-year-old.

She quickly dressed trying to make sure that Freed didn't get inpatient and attempt to help her along. She hurriedly put her on clothes (noting absently that the 'blowsey' peasant style top to the high-waisted dress wasn't so loose on her as it was on the model), swiped on some tinted lip gloss and stopped. She sighs pulling out the hair dryer. The thing had dust on it...it WAS late summer and she only ever used the thing if she was going out and it was cold but seeing as she was going out tonight...she guessed it warranted that she take the time and actually dry and style her hair. 20 Minutes, much cussing, hair spray,bobby pins and banging later. Lucy has managed to style her hair in soft liberty curls. She was actually surprised that it didn't look horrible. Freed was sitting on her couch waiting for her while flipping channels. He looks up and proceeds to cry. "Don't start...crap."

"Laxus would be so proud...all ***sniff*** grown up! OH Laxus if only you where here!" He promptly pulls out his cell phone and starts snapping pictures. Just then Freed's phone bloops and he proudly shows Lucy the message it contained. There on the screen was a picture of Laxus giving the camera a thumbs up while winking. Underneath it reads: "I approve of this message!" Lucy shifts uncomfortably face turning a bit red. "Can we get this over with?" he blows his nose and hands her a matching black bowling bag purse and a pair of black Mary Jane pumps and promptly pulls out a tube of red lipstick and (after grabbing her chin) puts it on her lips. "Aww come on!"

"Finishing touch." He silences her. She sighs as she shifts her bag. Looking in it she is happy to note that he had her cell, wallet and M1908 .25 (the one with the mother of pearl handle; after all she WAS dressing up) was in the bottom with an extra clip. Ah he knew her so well. Wait where were her bracelets?*

"You don't need those so don't ask."

"I just feel naked without them."

"You just keep them in your purse anyway. You'll be alright."

Leading her downstairs to his car he held the door for her before jumping in the driver's seat himself. "Are you sure you're OK with me driving?"

"Yes, you know I don't mind it if it's you." He smiles softly as he pulls out shifting into second once on to the main road. Lucy did not let other people drive her around. It was just a thing of hers. To date only two people could with her peace of mind in tact by the end of it. But Freed always asked every time. People always mistaken him for a cold fish, however the man was actually a bit of a softie. The older man was always very kind to her in his own way. She blinks as she looks down at her cell phone as an email blinked at her. Opening it she read it's contents. She sighed softly "You might want to hear this Freed...they just don't know when to quit."

* * *

**Everafter**

It is a busy night. It is a Friday night after all. Being about 8 the crowd was picking up and the noise level while not loud was just loud enough to cover the slight fussing coming from one side of the restaurant where two men and a woman was standing.

"I cannot believe you are going to sit here the whole time!"

"We ain't bother'n no one."

"Yes you are! Me!"

"Got something to hide?"

"No."

"Then what's to worry about? Act like we're not here."

"I'm not worried about you! I'm worried that she'll notice, get uncomfortable and leave! She's not stupid nor green. She'll know you guys are watching her." Levy glares at a disgruntled Gajeel and a curious Natsu. "Your just handing off that disc right? Why'd you have to get all dressed up and stuff?" Looking down at her black fifties dress with oranges all over it and wedge espadrilles she wasn't sure if it was really dressing up all *that* much. Sure she had put a little bit of make up on and made sure the hair band in her hair matched the dress but...so what? A girl can look cute sometimes right? Even if it was just an exchange it's a Friday night at Everafter. In the lounge... She can look cute damn it!

Natsu sighs at Gajeels obvious paranoia and attempts to gently defuse the situation before she gets any louder. "Look, we'll sit in the far back corner where we can see you but not draw attention. How's that? Besides..I'm hungry." The bomb specialist doesn't look convinced but looks at her cell and sighs. "Fine, whatever. Just don't do anything stupid." she jabs both men in the chest (well Gajeel it was closer to the stomach) before walking off to the bar in a huff. Almost in-perciveably, the large and overly pieced man seemed a bit down. One could only tell by his suddenly introspective look and slightly slumped shoulders.

Natsu snickers. "To think that the Redfox would be tamed by a kitten..."

"Shut it. You'll see...someday." Natsu simply snorts in disbelief as he walks over to the darkest corner to sit already thinking about what to order the bigger man trailing after him. Mira giggles from her spot at the bar. "He's just worried about you."

"I know but he needs to trust me. I'm just meeting a friend."

"If he went out suddenly all dressed nice to a bar wouldn't you be just a little curious about why?" The platinum haired woman asks absently as she sets two glasses onto the counter preparing a couple of drinks. Sighing in defeat. "I guess." Blue eyes close in happiness before pert lips giggle. "You two are so cute!" Levy blushes faintly as she casts brown eyes down to the bar. "Maybe I understand his worry."

"He just doesn't want his woman to be wooed away from him. He's not that great with people. I imagine he probably thinks you'll just leave him and he would never stand a chance with anyone else." Levy frowns. Mira was too good at this...but often right. And just like that her anger and irritation evaporated. "That doesn't explain Natsu." Mira laughs. "No he's just nosy."

"Great..."

Glancing over at Gajeel she manages to catch his eye and smiles blowing him a kiss letting him know she's OK now. Natsu watches in even more amusement as the man on the receiving end blushes faintly but sits up straighter, his confidence in her devotion assured.

Mira looks up. "He's here right on time, as usual. Oh? He's brought a friend this time..." Confused the small woman looked towards the door to see who she was talking about only to see Freed walk through the doors and hold them for Lucy. _"What I wouldn't do to have a figure like her's or Mira's. Shitty genetic gamble left me out to dry." _But she could never begrudge either girl for she loved them dearly. Levy perks. "That's Freed and Lucy!" she waves to them beckoning them over to her at the bar. Mira blinks. "You know Freed?"

"He's best friends with Lucy's adoptive brother. I met her in college and thus him." We both bonded over languages..." Mira smiles. "She's very beautiful." Levy nods.  
"Is she...?"

"Yes. She's single Mira. And please do add her to your list. She needs a man." Mira grins eagerly her matchmaking mind already trying to think up possible matches as she hurries off to get her book. Levy just grins evilly knowing that once Lucy finds out she'll probably suffer but until then...she'll just enjoy it.

Gajeel perks as Levy had waved towards the door. "Ey. Salamander, I think she's here."

Both men look over to see a very well dressed man holding the door for a blonde knockout in a very form-fitting dress. Natsu suddenly felt his mouth go just a bit dry. Who the hell was she and where can he get one? Hourglass figure with the upper half besting the bottom by a little made him think very bad things. She walked gracefully hips swaying easily catching many of the men's attention from all over the restaurant. Much to the chagrin of many dates. If SHE was the friend Levy was attached to he already give's his stamp of approval. The Riders needed more women...especially such attractive women. He'd take her for her tattoo personally and pray she gets it somewhere unmentionable so he can witness...wait she's here with a man. Where they a item? **That** guy certainly didn't deserve her, he was barely looking at her! Why the hell was she with him? He eyed her as she hugged Levy happily before Levy went to hug the man in question.

Something of these thoughts must have played across his face as he watched because Gajeel caught sight of it. "She's pretty hot for a bounty hunter. Bet it made her job both easier and harder."

"Hell, I'd willingly go if *she* handcuffed me and started pushing me into a backseat..."

"Don't wanna hear your sick fantasies, flame brain."

"Oh that doesn't even scratch the surface of my fantasies. Not all are sick I'll have you know."

"If you're in them. They are." he replied in a clipped tone.

As the trio goes to sit Natsu pays careful attention to the young woman. The man aids both girls in sitting showing no real difference in how he treated either one. In fact he seemed to be a bit flustered by Mira and not by the bombshell sitting to his right. That meant she was...available. But why was Levy so worried about her seeing them? since she's come in she's been a bit uncomfortable looking but seemed ultimately alright. Her eyes where scanning the room carefully from second level to each door. She was immediately aware of all exits and the number of people in the room. She had experience...but still not at good as Erza maybe but...

Lucy was pleasantly surprised at how this restaurant felt even when almost full. She wasn't being overloaded, the music was nice and mellow and the people seemed very nice too. The Female Bartender who's nametag said "Evergreen" had made her a in-house specialty called: "Fleuve d'etoiles. " That name seemed familiar. .. The back of her neck however, refused to stop crawling. At first she tried to ignore it and was successful up until the colors in that corner started to flare and dim and flicker about like a candle. Turning to stare in the direction of the gaze she meets a shadowy corner. Though the people are obscured, to her she can see their glow. One of which looked fairly familiar but she couldn't quite place where she'd seen it before. It reminded her of watching a fireplace. All Reds, and Oranges but with a smattering a pink around the head area. The other was odd rather like looking at stone monument mood ring. Most auras are ever-changing, adapting and meshing or fighting with those around them. This guy, however, is solidly grounded and not easily read but by those people who figure him out. She's pretty sure it's male. But it COULD be female not likely though.

"Uh...is she looking at us?" Natsu asks carefully to Gajeel "No way she can see us, it's too dark in here."

"Your imagination."

"Hi,Freed, you brought a friend?" A sweet voice waifs into her thoughts.

"Y-yes, this is my boss Lucy." He fidgets slightly. Lucy looks at her friend and smiles knowingly. Feed is a very meticulous man both in dress and usually actions. fidgeting meant one thing…that and the sudden flushing of pink into the edges of his colors. He had a crush! OH HO! Tonight has already paid off. She had always suspected that he had other reasons for frequenting this place now she knew he did. Laxus will *love* to hear this. But being who she was Lucy peered thoughtfully at Mira. Not that she doubted his judgement of character its just that...well he was just about family dammit! After a moment of watching her she decided that she liked this Mira woman her soothing turquoise, light blues and emerald greens spoke of peace and healing. Lucy smiles much more warmly now. "Freed has told me so much about this place that I had to come see. It's lovely."

"Thank you. It really is a small world. Levy would say that she keeps trying to get her friend to come visit but that she didn't like large groups of people too much." Lucy blushes faintly. "Levy!"

"What? It's true you don't." She couldn't really argue *that* point..but to spread it around like that...it was embarrassing...making her seem like some weird shut in. Which she wasn't.

Not really anyway...

Ok maybe after a few hard months she was... but...

_Moving on._

"Don't worry she was just eager to introduce her friend to all of her new friends." Lucy blinks at Mira. Oh she was good...could she also? No...she's just good. VERY good. Lucy blushes at being seen through so easily. "Well...I'm feeling somewhat social and in a pretty good mood." turning in her bar chair she looks around at all the customers. Most where in romantic moods or at least happy ones...except for those three. Odd. The one in the far right corner spoke of anger and jealousy...maybe a stood up date? No. This was old...deep seated...and frankly none of her business so long as they stay put. Those two where still sitting on the other side...why didn't they light their candle? What where they waiting on? Could they stop staring? It was making her skin crawl.

"So anyway, Lu-chan, I have the program I want you to go over for me..." She hands her the Cd.

Natsu watches in confusion and more than mild surprise. This time he was sure of it She *Had* turned to look directly at them. No way she would've known someone was back here. It was too dark. But judging by Levy's nervous and abrupt distraction this might be what she meant about her friend. "Gajeel did she?"

"Yep."

"How did she...?"

"Dunno. Freaky as shit, though." Natsu sits back. Yeah it was...but also...intruiging. Closing his eyes he slowly filtered out all the ambient noise and tuned back into the conversation across the room.

The blonde smiles "For your master's program? Shouldn't you get someone of the same level to go over it for you?"

"Shut up. You did master's level work in your sophomore year, don't give me that." Levy scoffs as she takes a sip from her drink. "Alright. You know I'll look at it anyway. So how is the relationship going? Is *HE* here?" Levy blushes faintly "No. He's at back at home with Lily." Lucy looks directly at her and after a telling silence frowns in disappointment. "Is it you think I won't like him and try and run him off?"

"A-actually I'm more worried about the other way around...most people don't get him and get offended. He might actually grate on your...senses Lu."

The pink haired man frowns. _"Senses? What does she mean by that?" _

"I can take the time to get people when it matters to my friends." Levy looks down. "I know...I just want your meeting to be perfect. Both of you are really important to me and I want you to get along." The taller woman looks hard at her friend. "You really love him don't you?" she says almost too low for even Natsu to hear. "Yeah..." Levy replies just as softly.

Natsu snorts from his place in the booth.

"If you screw it up with someone like her you deserve to be alone." Gajeel...for once, has no smart reply to that. "Oh how the mighty have fallen..."

"Shut the hell up Salamander. Trying to listen."

Both men suddenly wince as Mira squeals.

Lucy jumps slightly and looks at her as Mira coos. "Their so cute!" Levy ignores Mira and goes back to her drink blushing furiously. Freed is looking over amused. Levy frowns. "ANYWAY...have you heard about that new meet coming up in a month?" Lucy looks at her. "Of course I have. It's the first time drifting is going to be included as event. A lot of the draggers are joining. They have no idea what their in for. I predict wrecks, spin outs, and stalls." she laughs. "It might make for good entertainment. But the pot is pretty fat. Talking 30G." Levy whistles.

"Supposedly all the big groups are going to be in attendance. It's supposed to be a big deal." Lucy looked at Levy again with that expression. At once looking at her but also through her. Levy was used to it and found that if she kept her calm she could keep at least some of her nervousness from being transmitted to her friend. "You want to ask me something." Levy knew that tone: _Get to the point, please. _Was usually what that comment meant.

"Yeah...why don't you compete? You where second only to The Lighting. It might be fun for old times sake."

"Because the _Raijinshū _Has disbanded long ago. I wouldn't be under a banner and you know that makes for more headaches_. _Literally. They'll think I'm a dolled up slick top** or something."

"Not if you go under another group."

"I made it my business not to get mixed up in any groups since retirement. I keep in the know but out of the circuit for the most part but I remain neutral not playing favorites with any group." she answers very cautiously before taking a sip of the new drink she ordered. Something called a "Starry Night." It was pretty good.

_"So...she used to be apart of Raijinshu huh...? She had to be amazing to even run with them. She's hesitant. Wary...but why? Levy is her friend why be skittish around her?" _

_"_Oi. Stop looking at her like that. Creepy. Like your hunting or somethin'. " Gajeel frowns at Natsu's abnormally tight focus. Somewhere along the way he had opened his eyes again and was staring at the girl.

Levy seems hesitant in her own right already seeing Lucy's wariness. "Lu-chan. You know I love you like a sister, right? And that I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"Of course, Levy, where is this going? Your making me nervous." _Wait no that's not her that's coming from my back left...?_

The petite woman takes a deep breath. "I need you to..."

The sudden sound of dishware and people gasping in shock, ducking flying food. "DAMN ALL OF YOU FAIRY TAIL ASSHOLES! YOU SIT UP HERE LOOKING DOWN ON EVERYONE ELSE...YOUR PRECIOUS LITTLE RESTURANT..." Natsu and Gajeel start and jump up the sudden loud sounds and yelling causing them to wince as it hurt their unprepared sensitive ears. "BUT THATS FINE! THAT'S OK, BECAUSE AFTER TONIGHT THAT WILL ALL CHANGE!" the man lifted a gun and aimed it about crazily laughing all the while. _shit this dude ain't playing with a full deck. We're too far away to get to him without him noticing. _Natsu grits his teeth in annoyance before immediately starting to run towards Mira as he notices the man's unstable gaze landed on her. Somewhere from another direction he can see Elfman on the move too. "FIRST ONE DIE TO IS YOU!" He points his gun directly at a stunned Mira.

*bracelets are what Lucy calls Handcuffs...

** Slick Tops- Is a slang term for cop cars that do not have lights outfitted where they can be seen. unmarked cars can technically be called this as well.


	6. When stupid just falls into your lap

**Notes: Still don't own Fairy Tail. Sorry. **

**Another long chapter. But hopefully that's a good thing...this scene is rather long.  
**

**Chapter 6 **

"YOUR THE LITTLE POSTER BITCH FOR THEM YOU'LL SEND A MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEA~!" they all wince as they hear a clear distinct gun shot go off only to blink stupidly as the gun that was once in his hand skitters across the floor away from his hand and slides to a stop a good 10 feet from the would be attacker. But...where had that shot come from? The man was clutching his hand in shock as he bleeds profusely from a new wound. They all hear a sigh as the blonde walks towards him holding up a badge. "Don't move. " she says with a easy authority. She was unmoved by all the scattering people who where now giving her a wide breth as well. The man that had come with her is on his cell. "The police are aware of the situation and are on their way." he informs everyone with a calm but easily heard voice. Lucy doesn't lower her gun until she sees that two very large men have the man firmly in their gasp and have forced him down into a chair. She lowers the gun but keeps it at ready before her as she is well versed in unexpected circumstances. She was rather glad she wasn't called to run. Damn heels are not what she wants to run in... This is why she kept her licence up to date just for such possible instances that stupid falls right into her lap...

"Byard. Ex-member of the now disbanded Eisenwald gang. I had heard that you managed to skip town right before your court date. Read about you on my phone before we came in today. Funny. The cops thought you'd come to Magnolia so they emailed me. I hadn't planned on doing anything about it *buuuut* since you decided to ruin my night, I'll make an exception." Levy is already up and smirking. "I thought you'd retired, Hawkeye?"

"Shut up. Mini." Lucy snapped over Levy's laughter.

"I'll sue you. " Byard snarls at her.

"You where causing a disturbance and had a fire arm which you where aiming at an unarmed civilian. Shall I continue?" She walked closer to the man her walk still way too sexy for many of the watching male's frazzled nerves. He lunges at her trying to bite at her and only succeeded to get a gun aided punch to his jaw. "Sit your sorry ass down. You're in enough trouble as it is. Your lucky I caught you and not Fairy Tail. How do you think they would take it had you succeeded?" she speaks oh so softly to him. the man sits back looking up at her dumbly. "I promise you probably wouldn't have survived. At least not with all your limbs in tact. You should be thanking me really."

Natsu had frozen at how everything had played out. He was stunned...shocked...turned on?

Lucy looks over at the door as the sirens sound. "Oh look your ride is here. Good because I forgot my bracelets at home. No thanks to Freed."

"That's right I took them out of your purse. You don't need those when you're having cocktails Lucy."

"Your no fun. I could use those for...other activities..."

"Ugh. I refuse to hop a ride on that train of thought."

_She kept handcuffs in her purse? _Whoa wait a moment..._you need to calm the fuck down! _ Natsu looks down at himself in irritation. _This is not the time for that! Are you listening!? Think nasty thoughts, nasty thoughts...NOT THAT KIND OF NASTY! You cannot meet her like thi~_

Natsu edges closer and stops as he eyes this woman. No wonder she seemed familiar...it was that chick. The Hottie who owned Hardbodies & More. _Lucy. _

It was in that very moment that he came to a decision. Two of them actually.

1) This woman _**must**_ join the Dragonriders. She was too good to pass up. Her calm under pressure, perception, and decisiveness was appealing and valuable.

2) _**when**_ she joined she was going to be **his**. Those certainly don't have to be in that order either. Whichever comes first would certainly be just fine by him.

* * *

Lucy sighs as she goes through the hoop jumping that's necessary when dealing with these things. Luckily Gildarts was one of the detectives sent and knew how to get her in and out fast. "I didn't think you'd take me up on that email..." Lucy sighs in irritation. "I didn't want to. But he was just right there...doing stupid things. How could I resist?" He laughs. "Well you know the paperwork you have to do. He's got a nice reward on him. You should do something nice with it. Maybe have a girls weekend with Bisca and Levy?" Freed chooses to interject at that. "I would only suggest that if we can make sure that they do not take any fire arms or explosives."

"Where would be the fun in that?" Lucy looks at him as if he's stupid.

"Not getting arrested usually ranks pretty high on my list of "having fun."

"See? And that's where we'd differ. It's not a party until someone has to call the police on you." He knows that Lucy's just joking but sometimes he really wonders about her. Levy is listening in and laughs. "I thought you would've forgotten all about Lu-chan ever since she 'retired.'" The tall and powerfully built man laughs, shoving his hands into his brown trench coat carelessly. "How could I? She was the best at what she did in all of Fiore. And you two made a great team...why I remember this one time..." Using Gildart's favorite pastime of telling stories to her advantage, Lucy casually walks over to the bar to get her drink. She then turns to look directly at Gajeel, who had attempted to stay away from Levy so as to not give away who he was. But with a creepy air of knowing about her "Hawkeye" simply picks up her drink and downs it. "You'd better treat her well." she says softly when he glances at her. "I could confront you now but I won't. She's not ready to introduce us, and I will respect her wishes. Just don't fuck up. Piercy." She glares at him before walking back over to where she came from. Gajeel simply stared after her. Dumbfounded. Usually, he didn't care two shits about if someone was recruited or not for the Shadow Division. But in this case, he really hoped she was brought in. Not because she was all that amazing...though she **was** impressive. But more to the point that if they **didn't** succeed in winning her over...what would happen if someone else managed to?

* * *

Lucy sits out in the cafe area watching as the last police car pulls away nearly 2 hours later. Standing she stretches only to turn around and nearly run right into an excited Miranjane. "Ah! Mirajane-san..."

"Mira"

"Pardon?"

"Just call me Mira. I wanted to thank you for what you did! It was amazing." Lucy blushes faintly, not at all used to such things. She was used to cussing dirt, grease, sex jokes, name calling, and other kinds of derogatory remarks being heaped upon her from those who don't know her...not...gratitude. The Bail Bondsmen where grateful but all they did was deposit money in her account as thanks. Not...this. "W-well, Mira-san you are very welcome. Though you seem to have some pretty fierce bodyguards as it is. I think that had I not been there you still probably would've been fine."

Mira smiles down at the blonde as she speaks. She had immediately liked her upon entrance and after tonight really wanted her to come by more often...after all she's got to keep her matchmaking service going... she stops her train of thought for a moment as she glances over the girl's head towards a certain Biker who was waving frantically at Mira and pointing to Lucy then to himself in an exaggerated attempt to get her to introduce them. All the while he's getting tugged at by a frantic Levy. _"Speaking of matchmaking...OMG...these two...would be PERFECT together!" _an instant later Lucy is struggling to hold up a suddenly catatonic Restaurant manager who was muttering something about "weddings" and "babies."

Lucy shudders at the information that tried to flow into her at the bodily contact. She was getting a bit strained around the edges. So many shaken hands, hugs, and slaps on the back (a few on her ass too, much to her irritation) had effectively put her almost into over load. Rubbing her head absently she took a few deep breaths to calm her mind.

"Uh...what just happened?"

* * *

"Stop it Natsu!" Levy pulls at his arm. "She doesn't need your drama on top of everything." Natsu frowns. "Drama? I'm not Drama. Wait. You think I'm drama don't you?" Levy looks at him with a kind smile. "Good drama."

"What's good drama?"

"When your around I know that good things tend to happen...excitedly. Loudly...you know..."

"I don't get it."

"Look you might overwhelm her. She's never met you before try to tone it down. A lot has happened tonight." Natsu scratches the back of his head. "Uh...ok...she doesn't seem shy or nothin' She seems nice why don't you want me to meet her? I gotta check her out to make sure she's a good choice you know."

"Part of me really doesn't like the way you said "Check her out."

"I meant it in a purely business sense."

***glare***

"Mostly."

"I can't stop you can I?"

"Nope. I met her before anyway. Max introduced us yesterday afternoon. I just didn't recognize her all dressed up. SHE'S a mechanic huh? Any good?"

"Yes and she's great. Max? Wait *he's* the bowl cut perv~Do not change the subject! You can't just walk up to her and start bombarding her with questions! You'll scare her off."

"She isn't a wild animal, Levy."

"No but YOU are!"

"Hey!"

"She's right Salamander." Gajeel appears next to him. "You are kinda animal like." Natsu glares up at him about to ask him how he had the right to talk. Levy beats him to it. "So are you, Mister."

Gajeel stares down at her intently causing an answering blush and a shiver snake down her spine. "And you like it." She stutters and looks away. Gajeel cuts her a break and looks back at Natsu. "But she has a point. She made me. Knew who I was without anyone giving anything away. It's down right creepy. Shrimp. What is she?" Levy suddenly bristled. "A human being. A person with thoughts and feelings. _WHY?_"

Natsu and Gajeel both knew that tone. He had somehow hit a nerve. Now...how to back off this land mine and not have it go off? "She just...uh...startled me...that's all. Have you told her what I look like?" Levy's eyes harden just a hair more. "No. _Why?" _ Gajeel stops talking immediately knowing that until Levy herself decides to diffuse that mine he was a dead man no matter what he tried to do. Natsu glances back over as Lucy watches Mira be carried away by her brother. She rubs her head faintly almost as if in pain. She then blinks a few times before looking right at them and focusing on Levy. She sighs straightens her shoulders, clears her face into a practiced mask of calm and starts to walk over.

_"Shit. This might not be good. Angry girl herds are never a good thing." _But *this* would be worst . Not only could it be two angry women but two angry women who were armed with guns and grenades. The chocolate eyed blonde surprises him for the *third* time today by gently hugging Levy and whispering something in her ear. Both men wouldn't have heard it if it wasn't due to their superior hearing.

_"Easy Levy. I'm a big girl. Don't worry I can handle a few insults, intentional or otherwise. Don't alienate your friends on my account. I can survive alone, I'm used to it. Just let it go. Breath and start again with him." _and with that she leans back smiling down at her. Levy looks up at her faintly sadly. "Lu..."

"I saw your righteous rage from across the patio. Calm down." Taking the opportunity presented Natsu jumps forward towards Lucy offering a hand. "HI! I met you yesterday..!" Lucy blinks at him. "I remember. You where...Natsu right?" she seems tentative to take his hand now. But he takes the initiative and grabs it. At first worried about another overwhelming sensation like the first meeting all she got was a familiar dulling of her senses this time. It's as if the first initial burst of info was a one time deal. It...It was just like when she met Laxus...except this time she felt much warmer. A comforting heat that was not going away. Laxus's was like a static shock that had numbed her hand and senses. Natsu's was more like a warm compress creating a gentle relaxing atmosphere to her mind's eye. Just who exactly was he? Taking a moment to *really* look at him she had to admit he was easy on the eyes. Toned without being too big, tall, almost 6ft. and interesting, almost feral looking dark grey eyes. He was smiling brightly showcasing pearly whites and...very sharp incisors. _"Their almost like fangs...wouldn't mind peeling him out of those riding leathers a few times...ugh FOCUS LUCY." _

Natsu watched her with open curiosity. Her expression, which had been slightly pinched before, suddenly became completely relaxed, calm and her smile spread into a real one at his touch. The eyes that had seemed guarded before lightened and was almost sparkling. Oh hell, she was even more beautiful up close.

"Yeah...Natsu. Natsu Dragneel." He reminds her almost absently. He had felt something strange the first time but now...it was like he was all revved up to go...but at the same time calm. It was weird. Nice. _Very_ nice. But very very weird. Levy blinks and looks between the two curiously. If she didn't know better she would say that they where having a moment. Levy was at a lost for words...there was no way Lucy was being taken in by _**Natsu.**_ She'd met way more attractive men and had never had any issues before. Why him? _Oh_ they where going to talk tonight...video conference with Bisca _"This bitch better pick up her tablet too."_

"Lucy! We should get you home! I'm sure your probably a bit tired from dealing with this." Freed easily slides into the picture and in such a polite and practiced way that, when he detaches the Lucy from Natsu, the Shadow Division Leader can't even summon the desire to be angry at the action.

Yet.

"I'm sure you'd like to go home and rest. It's really been lovely meeting you all But really we have to go now."

The instant Freed had detached her, the warm compress buffering her mind was snatched away and the colors came rushing back to their full intensity causing her to almost squint her eyes as she re-adjusted. However Freed, ever the proficient escort already had her purse and all his things and before she knew it they where already rounding the corner beyond the front gates of the restaurant before anyone could even process what he was doing. Natsu who was still processing what happened snapped out of it as soon as she was out of sight. A growl rising up in his throat at the interference. "Wait!" he runs after her and the man only to find her already seated in the car holding her head in her hands looking faintly pained. The man was already pulling out. Levy walks up not far behind Natsu. "Don't take it personally. He's always like that when he thinks she's being too run down."

Watching him drive off with slightly predatory eyes Natsu stands up straighter. "Who was that? What is he to Lucy? I want to know clearly." Levy stares at the back of his head confused. Natsu the carefree dunce wasn't anywhere in sight. The only thing she saw was the Dragonrider commander that was studying a target. "He's like a brother to her. He was asked by her brother Laxus to look after her. They are far from romantically involved. You don't have to worry about that."

_"Maybe. But that doesn't mean he will just turn a blind eye to me." _

Gajeel has been silently thinking. "Wait...Hawkeye...Hawkeye Heartfilia? I kinda remember something now that I think of her name together. I'd never met her before so I didn't know what she looked like. Or that it was even a girl. But I do know that Hawkeyes' was a bounty hunter you never wanted to meet. They where quick on the draw and had connections in both law enforcement and all circuits of the underworld. They could see through lies and was often called in by both sides as a negotiator for deals for their non bias when it came to business." The little woman sighs looking off. "Yes and it was a stressful, tentative balance, for her. But she was excellent knew the laws on the books and the laws of the streets. She got tired, especially after her brother had to move away for his job."

Natsu processed all this. Many people underestimated his level of tactical prowess and social understanding. He didn't maintain his position by brute strength alone as many seem to assume. And his friendly, if oblivious way, with most things was simply what he choose to show to the world. Ever since he discovered that playing up his hot-headed tendencies (he DID have a temper and Grey DID have a gift for annoying him) and his oblivious nature (which wasn't really obliviousness but rather a willful ignoring of things he deems unimportant at the moment) would keep him from getting MORE work...well it wasn't hard to decide what he did and why. Keep up the act and stay where you are and still have a life? Or act 'normal' and get more work and less life? Seems like a no brainer to him. But on occasion when he focused his mind and dropped his mask he was like a force of nature easily consuming that which he desired. And now his mind was focused on obtaining the very thing that had just slipped through his fingers not even 5 minutes ago.

Lucy "Hawkeye" Heartfilia


	7. Girl Talk & 2am Pillow Fight

**Author's Notes: I had to channel some emo for parts of this chapter. It was disturbingly easy to summon some of it. It's not a lot but it will explain why Lucy acts the way she does later.I changed the rating...because the characters have potty minds and mouths. Much more than even i expected...they have officially taken a life of their own and each chapter they have something to say and do. Trying to keep them on track is sometimes difficult.  
**

**Also, I'm sure there are now many questions. Feel free to fire them off I'll certainly answer them. Especially since when I get into the zone I want to tell the story and forget to explain why things are (Though some might argue that I explain too much lol). If necessary I can even post my pages of notes I created for this fic. R&R is nice I like to know people's thoughts on it and what I could look at fixing or making better. My goal is to be a better writer. Chapter's first notes still apply as far as rudeness goes, however. **

**Anywho, here is the new chapter! It's shorter than previous ones. Still over 2,000 words (but the last two where over 3,000 and 4,000 each so...).**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

This is the third time that stupid tablet has gone off. And the third time she ignored it. Though she knew that she couldn't keep doing that without them...

"I KNOW YOUR THERE!"

"Levy turned your camera on after the first time. Don't ignore us!" comes another familiar voice. Her tablet answers itself and a very angry pair of women are on the other side. "I didn't do a summoning...begone evil spirits!" Lucy lifted her hands from the bed and waved them about dramatically.

~**Silence** ~

"We're still here you know." Bisca intones as she simply continues to braid her green hair into two pig tails, in preparation for sleep or in this case: girltalk.

"Damn."

"We're not going anywhere until you tell us: what exactly happened tonight?" Levy pushed, the large t-shirt she usually sleeps in falling off her shoulder. "You where there! Why are you asking me this?"

"Oh no. No worming out of this. I'm referring to that meeting you had with Natsu. Don't make me call Cana...you know how she is." Lucy winces, boy did she ever. "She'd be woken at a horrible time of the night to a bike pulling into her drive and obnoxious banging on her metal gates and doors...ugh. Pass. _Fine._ She rolls over in her bed and blushes hotly as she looks at the propped up tablet screen. "Uh...well I'm not sure. I shook his hand waiting for the inevitable shock and flow of information...but none came this time..." she looks off. "The first time it happened...but this time. Was different. BETTER." Levy frowns. Bisca takes a sip from her glass, which contained suspiciously amber liquid. "Please don't tell me your about to get sappy." From a woman who only found her husband initially because he could out shoot her, sap isn't high on her list of things she has a very high tolerance for. To be truthful none of them did.

"Will you go away if I do?"

"No"

"Crap." Lucy sits up and sighs. She'd know this talk was coming but she had hoped that Levy would at least wait until tomorrow. She sits in cobblers pose and gathers her thoughts. "I can only say it one way. It's like I was with Laxus." Both girls sit up straighter at this. The statement would sound weird to uninitiated ears but both where aware of her gift and it's limitations and quirks. But this was not expected. "It numbed you?" The Gunsmith queries in confusion. "Not quite. Laxus numbs me so that I don't feel much of anything except see very faint colors. This was like I was...surrounded by warmth. I could still feel AND see. It was like I was...being warmed in front of a fireplace." she shakes her head in confusion. "It...was better than with Laxus. I wasn't 'blind'." She leans back on her arms to stare up at the ceiling and all the glow in the dark stars she had placed up there in a perfect replica of the night sky. Sure it was childish but she loved it just the same. Sighing she continues on: "I didn't think anyone else like him would've existed." Levy and Bisca look at each other. "Lu?"

"Yeah?"

"Your mooning."

"I AM NOT. I do NOT moon! Not over a _man _anyway! Take that back!" Lucy stutters her cheeks turning faintly red. "You sighed too." Levy stares evilly into the camera. Bisca simply grins knowingly. How many years had she known Lucy again? Long enough to know that something was up even if Lucy herself wasn't aware of it yet. Or more to the point: Refused to acknowledge it.

Bisca was the local gunsmith's apprentice when Lucy and Levy where in college, is a year of two older than they are, and, interestingly enough, Freed's cousin. Lucy had heard of her mentioned by him many times but didn't meet her until college after several dealings with guns made at her master's shop being used in crimes and for needing gun alterations. A few debates and visits to the firing range later and all three have been inseparable. Bisca often came on traces with the girls operating as a sniper and second gun. When it came time to actually start her own business they decided to set up shop next door to each other. They've been like family ever since. Askua was often watched by Lucy when Wendy, their babysitter, wasn't available.

Bisca was well aware that they where not your 'average' women. And that was exactly why this was strange. They *weren't * women to moon over men. They found it usually a disgusting and somewhat degrading past time for both parties involved. But... When it finally happens to them you know there's something special there. Bisca only mooned after having a gun fight with Azlack that resulted in a draw a feat that had never happened before. Levy, only after Gajeel actually set off a line of her bombs with a cheap set of kitchen knifes just to protect his car. Both men exceptional in their own right. Attractiveness counts, sure, but substance was what got these girls to sit up and take notice. Lucy had finally had a 'moment' and, stubborn as she was, would never admit it. Bisca rubbed her head. It was like the month with Levy last year all over again. She did not look forward to that. But at least this time she had back up.

"Look. All I'm saying is that he's special, regardless of your worries about if you're mooning over him or not. " The older woman supplies gently calming the other two. Lucy looks away disgruntled, Levy looks smug but is quickly startled by banging on her end. "SHRIMP!? ARE YOU DONE YET!? I'M ABOUT TO BURST HERE!" Bisca and Lucy look confused. Levy scowls. "You're a guy go to some bushes. I'm busy having a private conversation."

"Wha-? SCREW THAT! I have other things to do too! OPEN UP!" Levy sighs. "Sorry girls. He's being a baby."

"I AM NOT!" Levy just nods silently at the camera silently confirming his status as a baby. "Of course not...here let me stop everything and move."

"Sarcasm. Just what I want to hear when my BLADDER is trying to eat its way out of my stomach!" Levy wrinkles her nose. "Eww."

"Yeah well I don't like how this feels so move!"

"Talk to you later girls! I'll call you tomorrow night." she blows kisses before her window closes.

Bisca laughs. "Those two...well I hate to run too but I have to get up in the morning and so do you. Azlack is going to give Askua her first shooting lesson with the air gun." Lucy claps "OH record it! I'm sure she's going to be amazing like her parents."

"I'll show it tonight on chat. Night!"

"Night!" Lucy waves smilingly. The screen goes dark and her smile slowly tugs its way southward as it takes on a more bitter-sweet tinge. She is happy and excited for her friends. They had found love and acceptance in a man and wanted the same for her. But she was pretty sure she was not going to find that. They only had one flaw as society saw it: Tomboyishness. And that was actually acceptable in the right circles. Sexy in the best ones and easily overlooked when you dressed up and played the part of party girl and heiress in the much more shallow ones.

But she had two strikes against her: Tomboyishness and being a freak. In many ways she let Freed have his way because he had every reason to worry about her relationship status. It gave him hope, even if false, and gave her a change of pace. Even if the guy was like Laxus and could dull her senses they weren't GONE. And touch bypasses that protection instantly. For her to ever really be with a man she would need numbness. She would have to be...normal. Or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof. As it was now She could never really touch him anymore than that and even if she could, intercourse was certainly out of the question. Oh no. That was _not_ happening again. Made that mistake before. Once.

Never again.

With all these things going against her who was _she _that she felt she had the right to moon over any one? It's why she's scrubbed it from her personality. Supressed and starved the part of her that **would** do such a thing. It was unnecessary and should be purged.

Stretching. She sighs and flops over onto her pillow before snuggling under her covers. "I don't moon." she mutters as she readjusts her pillow rather violently a few times. Alright so she was smacking the pillow rather hard but it made her feel better. "The nerve. I am a grown woman who doesn't moon over anyone. I'm strong."

**smack**

"Capable"

**Smack**

"Independent!"

**smack**

"And most of all practical!"

**smack smack**

"Why would I waste my time!? I'm young and I think I have a lot going for me!" she scoffs to the darkened room closing her eyes tightly to get some sleep. After several silent moments she opens her eyes and looks at the clock across the, seemingly, vast expanse of her largely empty queen bed.

2am

"Yeah...but maybe a little fantasy, now and then, didn't hurt anyone." she whispers to the silence. Grabbing another pillow she simply hugs it to herself silently burying her face into its top, guiltily, imagining that it was a shoulder before allowing sleep to claim her.

* * *

Levy was sitting up in the bed staring off in thought. Gajeel rolled over and stared up at her. "When are you going to sleep?"

"Soon."

"You said that almost a hour ago right before you locked me out of the bathroom."

"Sorry, girl talk." He wrinkles his nose. Levy idily wondered if that hurt or was at all uncomfortable given all his piercings. "But...I learned something and I think it will be our key to getting Lucy to help us."

"Hm?"

"Yep and luckily the subject will be eager to help." She smiles confidently. The big man suddenly leaps onto her and rolls over clutching her like a doll. "Gajeel!" she squeaks in surprise before coming to rest under the covers with her back against his chest. "Well since you figured it all out you can sleep now. I'm tired."

"You could've gone to sleep."

"Could. But didn't. Sleep." he commands tersely but without annoyance. "You think too much. Start again in the morning." Levy just smiles to herself. He was a gruff, sometimes rude and often crude big oaf. But he cared about her and she felt safe with him. She wouldn't trade him for the world. _Now...to only get the same thing for Lu-chan..._


	8. Ringing, Raging, & Revealing

**Chapter 8**

**Authors notes: Fairy Tail isn't mine! That is all.**

Natsu glared hatefully at the hell box that had the nerve to make such an obnoxious noise. It was the...fifth time it rang? Sixth? Seventh? No it was more than that...Ah he lost count. Though while he hated the box what he presently despised was the person who dared to cause that box to make such a sound... He ignored it and turned over pulling his pillow over his head. Don't they know that he did not function before 11am? Even then only after several injections of caffeine. Last night was very long as he formulated several plans to successfully recruit Ms. Heartfilia. Sleep came later. Sleep...yeah that would be great right now.

Just then his door is all but kicked in causing him to jump awake and prepare to fight the oncoming threat. Grey stands in the doorway and throws a bucket of ice on him causing poor Happy to jump and nearly fly out of the room howling in fear and indignation the whole way.

"AHHHH! WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PR~!?"

"ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE! IF I HAVE TO HEAR IT RING ONE MORE TIME..."

"SHUT THE HELL UP! THAT IS IT! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!" Natsu leaps out of the bed landing on Grey causing a knock down drag out fight. Both combatants are clad in only their sleep wear. Which, admittedly, is not much. Natsu wore black martial arts pants with flames crawling up his legs. Grey...boxers. If you where lucky. Thankfully this morning he still wore them for the moment. All the while the phone rings merrily in the background.

* * *

***Twenty Minutes Later***

Natsu growls in disgust. "GAH! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM! PUT SOME DAMN CLOTHES ON!"

"THE HELL YOU~? UGH YOU SICK BASTARD! USING THE FIGHT AS AN EXCUSE TO GET YOUR GAY FANTASIES ON!"

"LIKE HELL. YOU DID THAT YOURSELF...YOU ALWAYS DO."

***Ten more minutes later***

Natsu begins to clean up his bed and props his mattress up to air out and opens the window to allow the temperature of his room to even out again. . He was well and good awake now...and pissed. Snatching up his phone he walks out of his room to the living room heading towards the kitchen. For the hundredth time this month he wondered why he ever decided to have that asshole as his roommate. It was only the 5th. They fought constantly sometimes. Grey liked it cold in the place, Natsu loved the heat. With it having been summer Natsu had to constantly watch the thermostat to make sure Grey hadn't turned the setting to Arctic. He absently scratches his arm over the red Tattoo on his upper arm, bare feet padding silently about the carpeted floor. The apartment had an open floor plan and the kitchen was easily seen into. He sets about finding the supplies for coffee. The quest was profitable so he proceeded to haphazardly make a pot. As long as it was black and had that stimulating nectar of the gods in it he would be fine. Sugar and cream could hide a multitude of sins...

He looks into the pot as it brews and frowns.

Except coffee grinds.

"Dammit forgot the filter."

The kitchen was never his strong suit. Not enough fire...too many steps. He always appreciated someone who could take the time to make good tasting food but him? It it took more than 3 steps he probably wasn't going to succeed in making it. Grilling, however, there was no one better than him. "Pit Master" was a title he earned with many local competitions. Staring at the pot he gets a idea...filtering is filtering right?

Pushing a filter into his cup he tries to pour himself a cup through the filter, hoping that it will eliminate the grinds that way. Unfortunately the filter quickly becomes water-logged and sinks into his large Garfield mug adding not only grinds but now a full filter to his cup. He jumps as he tries to catch it only to splash himself with the scalding hot coffee.

He did not notice.

He never did no matter how many times he did it. He sighs shoves the pot back into its holder before turning to get a rag to mop it up. He scans through his messages as he wipes. 15 missed calls from: "Munchkin."

"Wonder what she's calling about...guess I'd better call her back...so she doesn't "

*Knock knock...knockkockknockknockknockknockknock*

"Shit. Too late." Only one person was the only one he knew who could rapid fire knock like that without a rest. Sighing he walks over and opens the door. "Mornin' Levy." he walks away to try to salvage his coffee. "Come on in." Wearing khaki capris and a black t-shirt that proudly proclaimed:

"I'm not short! I'm fun-sized!" across her chest Levy comes trotting in looking just shy of livid. "I've been calling you all morning!"

"I know."

"Why didn't you answer?!" Natsu is rinsing his cup and making another much more careful attempt to obtain the blessed dark beverage. "Because I was ignoring it I didn't get to sleep until early this morning."

"Why?"

"Thinking."

"Bullshit." A gruff voice from the doorway says before the sound of the front door closing was heard. _Great just what I need. I don't have enough caffeine and vodka in my system to put up with him so early in the morning. _

_"_Unlike you I actually do it more often than not."

"Holy shit."

"What?" Natsu nearly snaps.

"You said that with a straight face." Said mans' face was rapidly contorting into one of irritated anger. Pot he had recently picked back up now starting to simmer. First Grey now Gajeel...

"It's about Lucy." Levy quickly throws into the fray hoping that her hunch about Natsu's single-mindedness being mainly focused on the blonde. She really didn't want to have to try and stop a fight between these two. They where abnormally strong and she wouldn't be able to break them apart.

"Lucy?" rose-colored eyebrows rise suddenly in curiosity the pot immediately ceasing its simmer only to give away to quite a bit of steam. "What about her? Did you convince her?" Levy takes a breath thankful her bet was spot on. "Yes. I need to tell you something about her. That might make a huge difference in how you...'think' about her." leaning back against the kitchen counter as he just takes a sip of the coffee, black, figuring he needs something in his system fast if Gajeel speaks again and maybe if the news is bad. Levy takes a breath. "Lucy is...special. She would kill me and hang my lifeless body from the signpost of her shop if she knew I was telling you this but I'm betting that you are a good man and that you'll not abuse this information. Because then I have to try to kill you myself." He blinks and simply looks at her eyebrows raised_._"Fair enough."

"She has a form of ESP. Two actually, if you want to be technical." Gajeel blinks and frowns at her. Obviously he had been left out of the loop too.

"So she's like a psychic."

"Y-yes." Levy is watching them both closely waiting for...something. Finally Natsu moves. "That's how she knew where we where and who Gajeel was isn't it?" Levy nods. "Yes. It is." Natsu proceeds to go about making toast and gives into the habit of putting half and half and sugar into his coffee. "Really? What kind?" he asks very interestedly. Levy stares at him. "Your...not laughing at me...or scoffing." he looks at her then to Gajeel who slightly shakes his head. "You don't know?"

"Know what?" She looks between the two men. "Huh. After all the hacking you've done for Fairy Tail you never thought to look into our own files?" He looks back at her. The entire time he pittles around the kitchen. He eyes her and picks up his phone calling someone. "Yo, Ji-chan. Stop yelling at me...I didn't know that those papers where important. I was bored! ANYWAY, Levy McGarden, Yes her... I will not tell her that! You're a freak you know that right? Moving on. Clearance level 5, was it approved for her? No? I am motioning for it be done immediately in light of the new recruit she wants to bring in. Yeah the one I told you about. Really!? How!? FINE. Thanks." He hangs up.

Levy is staring at Natsu dumbfounded at his actions. Gajeel is refusing to make eye contact. "You've been cleared. That was easy, way easier than It should've been..."

The Dragonrider commander wanders off and can be seen boiling a pot of water. "What was that about?" The blue haired girl shifts on the couch. A similar conversation had happened when Gajeel had brought to the table that she be brought into the family. Though Gajeel called him something diffrent she'd never spoken to or seen the head of Fairy Tail. Natsu looks up from beneath the see through cabinets. "Tell me more about your friend." he replies instead. Levy isn't sure she likes the look Natsu has. He's...intense. Sure he normally is. But this was different. More thoughtful as if he is gauging her reactions and not the other way around as she expected. "What is her power?" sitting up straighter she lifts her chin. "She sees Auras and has a mild form of Psychometry."

"Psychometry?"

"The ability to...read some of a person's history from contact with them or a familiar object of theirs. It's not very strong and seems limited by a few weeks or intimidate events and it's not always right." He nods in thoughtfulness. "She'll fit right in." Gajeel says pensively from somewhere behind her. "What are you talking about?" Brown eyes look back towards the sound behind her.

"In Fairy Tail there are several sections. We are one, Erza's people another and the main office where all the 'official business' happens. Within each of those divisions are special people code-named: "mages." Levy frowns. "Wait...next to some people's names in their files is the letter "M" Gajeel nods. Levy looks at them. "Wait...Both of you had that next to your name..." They stare at her. "Yeah. We do."

"What do Mages do?"

"Well... that's hard to answer. It's easier to show you." Natsu comes back into the living room area with the boiling pot of water. "What's that fo~ OH MY GOD! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!? NATSU!" Levy shrieks and jumps up as he dunks his hand into the pot splashing himself a bit. Gajeel manages to catch her before she tries to take the pot from him. "That's pretty damn hot, you don't want to get too close."

"NO SHIT. Your going to let him burn himself like..."

"He's fine." At first she stares uncomprehendingly up at him before looking over. Natsu is holding up a very wet and steaming hand that isn't hurt in the least. "All Mages can do something normal human's can't. Sometimes many things. There are different levels of it. I specialize in all kinds of heat. Fire is a particular favorite of mine." He turns around and places the pot back on the burner. "And it looks like your friend. Lucy would have to come in with that Classification." Gajeel supplies, as he puts her down now assured that she was not going to get herself hurt. Levy stares then looks back at Gajeel. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why didn't you tell us about Bunny-girl?"

"Who?"

"This Lucy-chick."

"You didn't need to know it was private and how did she get the name 'Bunny-girl?"

"Exactly. She reminds me of a bunny."He shrugs. She just plops back down on the sofa rubbing her head. "Alright, fine. I can accept that. But your going to show me exactly what you can do when we get home." The larger man shrugs again "Fine." She then glares at Natsu. "She's not going to be an experiment I won't allow it!"

"Uh alright. But we aren't science experiments. We never where to our knowledge. Just people who wanted a home." He heats his arm and fist up a bit more simply causing the left over water to evaporate off of him all the while eying his appendage thoughtfully. "Fairy Tail was started for people without families who wanted education and chances to open businesses. A lot of us just happen to be this way and they help hide us." He picks up his toast and bites into it before grinning. "Can you imagine how hard it would be to go to a normal doctor with what I can do? They'd think I was always sick. So do I past the test to meet your friend more often?"

"I wasn't going to test you. Just get blackmail and make sure you didn't hurt her." The blue headed female admits honestly.

"I'm not going to. You'll be around anyway right? I'd need your help to earn her trust anyway." Levy sighs. "Yeah, I guess so since I have insurance too of a sort now. She'll want to be around you I think anyway. It's why I'm here. Her powers are kind of tiring and you help her rest."

"I don't follow you."

"She can get overwhelmed and tired, it's why I was worried about you meeting her. But somehow you don't. In fact you actually dull her senses slightly to make things more bearable." Levy watches in faint fascination and just a tad worry as Natsu's formerly blank and confused look melts into one of calculated thought. Happy jumps onto the couch and suddenly demands petting's from her. Just as quickly the look is gone. Natsu grins. "So..if I was to just show up at her shop one day...alone?"

"I wouldn't stop you." comes the groused reply. "You'd just have to deal with Freed."

"So? How hard could he be to deal with? He looks like a pansy anyway." Levy just stares at him and promptly makes a mental note to hack into Hardbodies cameras as soon as she gets into the car to make sure she records how well **that **meeting goes. Natsu was underestimating Freed, but who was she to tell him that? After all, they didn't **need** to know what he could actually do right?


	9. No Man's Land'

**Chapter 9**

**Notes: Fairy Tail isn't mine. There is a song used in this chapter. I DO NOT OWN IT EITHER. It's only there for...well you'll see. The song is "Shut up and Drive" Performed by Rihanna. I don't paste the whole thing in here I have story to tell but if your curious you can find it very easily on the net. I just thought it fit the people and situation and simply couldn't resist. Also it created a wonderful scene I wanted to share. **

It's not that he didn't have the situation under control. It was a simple exchange. He hands him the duffel bag he hands me money. Easy. But this asshole is making him wait throwing him off schedule. And he has a tight schedule. Sawyer the"Racer" huffs in irritation at his inconvenience. He had two more stops and this one was a dicey spot anyway. Behind a Gunsmith shop that's often frequented by cops. It didn't help that he was sure he saw a Dragonrider drive past not too long ago either. _Nasty S.O.B.'s _It's a secluded spot and well hidden but still it made him uncomfortable. Sure he had back up but really? He then hears a car pull up behind his bike. _Finally...what kind of man had roses on his car...purple roses?_

Whatever. _What can I expect from someone who calls himself "Rustyrose? The heck does that mean anyway?_

As long as he has the money and the exchange is quick with no snags who's he to talk?

* * *

Lucy was having a surprisingly slow day. Her boredom was getting to her. So, for some relief, she decides to turn on the sound system. It's piped throughout her shop, even into the garage. She sets the system to shuffle turning the volume up. An electric bass fills the shop with a sensual throb. "I haven't played this one in AGES~! Good thing I'm wearing my loose pants!" She jokes about her looser fitting black jeans she liked wearing as she pulls her hair up into a high pony.

"_I've been looking for a driver who's qualified~  
So if you think that you're the one step into my ride  
I'm a fine-tuned supersonic speed machine  
With a sunroof top and a gangster lean."_

Lucy proceeds to swish her hips and begin tidying up around the showcase room all the while belting out the lyrics to one of her favorite songs. Unfortunately the music was so loud that she didn't hear the tell-tale sounds of a sport bike and muscle car pulling up outside.

_So if you feel me let me know, know, know  
Come on now what you waiting for, for, for  
My engine's ready to explode, explode, explode  
So start me up and watch me go, go, go, go.~_

Nor did she hear the door open. Levy blinks. "*Gasp* this song~!" she drops her bag and runs up to Lucy, who it towards the back of the showroom, and grabs her hand and starts to sing with her and dance as well. At first being surprised at company Lucy quickly adapts and simply laughs and continues to dance, now with welcome company. Getting a brilliant idea Lucy picks up a very long chrome plated big-rig exhaust pipe and starts to 'play' at pole dancing around it while belting out the chorus. Levy is fighting to hold in her laughter.

_Got you where you wanna go if you know what i mean  
Got a ride that smoother than a limousine  
Can you handle the curves? Can you run all the lights?  
If you can baby boy then we can go all night_

Cos I'm 0 to 60 in three-point five  
Baby you got the keys-

Now shut up and drive  
(drive, drive, drive)

Shut up and drive  
(drive, drive, drive)

The blonde had just finished a rather impressive squat and single leg pivot, (given the unstable nature of her 'pole') when she sees a flash of color out of the corner of her eye. Whipping her head to the side to see she meets the amused but heated gaze of a certain pink haired Dragonrider. His aura flaring quite brightly with a hue she tried not to think too hard about. "If this is how you greet people when they enter your store I'm not sure why there isn't a line." Lucy feels her face begin to burn. "Peircey" was there as well with a smirk.

**Blink**

**Blink**

"LEVY!"

She yells in humiliation before running to her side door and disappearing behind it where she squats and buries her head in her arms clutching at her hair. "I cannot believe you let me do that!" Levy who had to suddenly catch the falling product: "Aww come on Lu-chan! We used to always sing and dance to this song!" she gently eases it down to the ground before going to the door and scratching on it like a cat. "Luuu-chan...? Open up."

"No! Let me become one with the concrete floor back here in peace."

"Come on...it's not that bad. Right guys?" Gajeel smirks. "I dunno that is pretty embarrassing..." Levy glares at him. "Gajeel!"

"Gi-he~!"

"UGH! Natsu! Help me out here." she fusses. The man in question simply shrugs. "What do you want me to say? I think you shouldn't worry about what we think. FYI Gajeel here **is **an asshole. So don't pay any mind to what he thinks. **I **liked it I was about to grab a pipe of my own and join in." Levy isn't sure if she should be impressed...or irritated at his contribution. But a giggle is faintly heard on the opposite side of the door before the handle does turn and a pair of disgruntled brown eyes peer out of the darkness. "No laughing." Levy shrugs. "We used to dance in our underwear all around our apartment in college. You didn't shock me none." Gajeel frowns. "I can't promise that." Levy glares back at him. "You'd better." He actually winces a bit. "Fine..." Natsu shrugs. "As long as I can smile and the nice memory you gave me." It was true. While it was all very embarrassing to her he found it rather hot and her subsequent embarrassment exceedingly cute.

Emerging from the darkened area she sighs looking down. "I'm very sorry you all had to see that."

"I'm not." Natsu says immediately. Suddenly the shyness is gone and brown eyes snap at him. "Are you trying to make me feel better or piss me off?" The man frustratingly shrugs at her. "I'll take anger if that's all I can get. It's better than you hiding in another room. I like the confident and fearless woman I met before. Though you blushing is kinda cute."

"D-Dragneel-s-san...I-uh."

"Natsu. I'd like us to be friends. Friends don't call each other by their last name."

"Natsu-san...I.."

"_Just _Natsu. That 'san' stuff makes me feel old."

"Alright. _Natsu _I wanted to let you know that I run a professional businesses, and that I can assure you that you will not see that again. It was unprofessional of me and I would like to ask for your forgiveness."

"I can't do that."

"What?" Natsu rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Well, I can't forgive you when you didn't do anything wrong. Only thing you did was have some fun with a friend. I'm sorry for interrupting. I've been told I can be kind of dense." The man promptly flashed the biggest grin at her that frankly had her a bit weak in the knees. _Oh. This was not good. _"Forgive me?" he looks contritely at her.

"O-oh...n-no it's OK." Lucy stutters faintly not exactly sure how to take this man. He wasn't lying. His aura while always moving showed no falsehoods. Levy would be in the same boat as her friend. Who the hell had taught _Natsu _to talk to girls like this? Not only had he effectively diffused the situation but he's also effectively knocked Lucy off her professional game. Professionalism was Lucy's immediate response to anyone she finds even remotely attractive. Its her verbal armor as she's not very good at talking with men outside of the realms of cars, guns, and bombs. And Natsu was effectively side stepping the shield and using some of her own work ethics against her, much to her frustration. She could see Lucy immediately regrouping to regain her conversational footing.

"S...so to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit...and I knew you where her new beau." she looks at Gajeel then looks at Levy with a slight glower. Levy shrugs. "I wanted it to be official...and he's just a grump most of the time."

"I am not."

"Yeah, that's not what I heard last night about you and how you act when it comes to your bladder." The large man freezes and faintly blushes at that. "I had ta' go!"

Levy rolls her eyes. "Any way, Gajeel Redfox, this is my best Friend Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy? Meet Lug-nut." Gajeel glares at her head. Lucy smiles. "Redfox Courier Services, 'transport anything for the right fee.' I thought you got out of that work a while ago." Gajeel looks at her thoughtfully. "I'm just exclusive now. One employer." Lucy nods. "Ah, well there are only a few options here for organizations who can afford your exclusive services as they don't come cheap. But of the choices I doubt you are of one of them. They have a delivery boy already." she looks off and then back to him smiling gently. "But anyway. It's nice to finally meet you." Gajeel looks a little uncomfortable at being known so easily. "Sorry, buddy your name is well-known in the right circles. Even now your tales are things of legend. Besides, who else has had their eyebrows removed in favor of metal studs and wears a Navajo designed headband on a regular basis? Is it still Kevlar and steel plated by the way? I wanted to ask you last night and I'm awfully curious." Her eyes take on an almost scary impish gleam as she studies him. Gajeel almost takes a step behind Levy in an attempt to hide from those all-knowing eyes.

Almost

Show no weakness.

Lucy just kept looking at him loving the way his 'mood stone' fluctuated into uncomfortable and ever so faint irritation. If it's one thing she **did **love about her powers is that usually she knew just how far she could push someone without crossing the line. Levy just laughs. "Alright, Lu, you got your chance to mess with him. Enough, is enough." she pats her boyfriends arm comfortingly. "There, there...I won't let the big bad, ex-bounty hunting, bunny-girl get you."

"Bunny-girl?"

"Yeah, because apparently you look like a bunny." Lucy blinks. While it was true she felt she identified with them she didn't really see how she...looked like one. Maybe with her hair in her pigtails. Maybe. "I don't see it. Don't call me that."

"Tch. Bunny-girl is good enough for you." Lucy glowers at him she had wondered where Levy had picked up that particular expression of exasperation and disagreement. Now she knew.

Natsu watched Lucy's actions closely. Hell, he just watched _her_ closely. She hid her gift well and it seemed to be alright for the moment. She had information. He didn't even know that Gajeel's band was reinforced. He smiles as she thinks about her new nickname, plump lips in a bit of a pout as she seems to reject the burly man's logic. "I like Lus." He grinned when brow eyes jump to him startled. "Lus?"

"Yeah short for Lucy. You get the "LU" and first sound of "C" "Lus" Besides Munchkin is using "Lu-chan" and that's not very manly. Nor is "Bunny-girl." So I will call you "Lus"

Gajeel growls.

"Whoa wait a minute, I don't recall giving either of you permission to use nicknames with me, never mind knowing me well enough to give me ones!" Lucy looks irritated her eyes snapping as she crosses her arms over her FOX branded bosom. Natsu looks faintly hurt. "I think it suits you."

"Well I do~!" she freezes.

_What is this feeling? From the back? _The shop mistress in one smooth move reaches below her counter and pulls out her side arm. Her precious CZ01 Tactical was this weeks gun of choice. She changed it as the mood struck her and for some reason lately she felt happier with this by her size. It was a somewhat older gun but he could smell that she kept it clean and well maintained. Natsu tensed as he saw her freeze and pull her weapon. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Levy reaching into the small bag she'd brought in as she watches Lucy. _Levy seems to still be 'in-tune' with Lucy from their skip-tracing days. Something's up. _

Just as the blonde opened the door to her garage from the back alley comes the loud and distinct sound of yelling and gunfire. Several people where trying to have it out behind _her_ shop! Everyone in the store immediately gets down out of habit with Lucy and Natsu moving with purpose towards the sound. Lucy stops and look at Levy who acknowledges the look with one of her own as she disappears into a hidden doorway that takes her upstairs. Gajeel following her mainly out of concern for her well-being and confusion. Lucy reaches up and a hidden wall compartment and throws something at him. The rose haired man snatches it well before it hits him his reflexes barely registering the item before snaring it. He glares at the object in confusion. Goggles with VERY dark lenses and strangely, ear pad like things on them. _What the...?_ But Lucy has already moved to the back door and was waiting there with her own pair already secured around her head gun at ready in one hand the other on the knob of the back door. Quickly donning the gear he hears a muffled stomping from above them as Lucy nods her head as if she understood something. _Damn, I hope these morons didn't hit any of my clients cars If they did it's going to suck. _Somewhere behind her she knows that Natsu's there. She only hopes he's decent in a fight. Levy had counted five guys. _Easy._ She shoves the door open and all hell proceeds to break loose.

* * *

There is a huge flash and ear popping bang that goes off above their heads. Even with the glasses and ear mufflers. Natsu's equilibrium is skewed just a bit causing him a moment of nausea. But his body quickly adapts. He can hear the yells and cries of pain and surprise coming from the areas just ahead of him. Lucy was already moving to the left with gun at ready sighting one of the closest men. Natsu heads right to the larger group. He smells the metallic tinge of blood in the air. Lots of it too. Looking to his left he sees a very thin man sitting against the wall grimacing in pain as blood soaks through his pants leg. With another at his side holding his eyes in pain. He senses one man immediately in front of him. The soon to be victim is rubbing his eyes and stumbling around cussing violently. Natsu scowls slightly and knocks him out. His partner turning to look at him, eyes still pretty much useless as he raises his gun to fire. Natsu easily dodges the bullet moves in decking this guy in the nose then drop kicking him to the ground. Pulling down his goggles so that he can see normally he looks around for Lucy trying to make sure she's OK. He need not have worried apparently for she had the other one crying...or maybe that was the flash bang that had done that. Those things are nasty for normal humans. Hell for people like him and Gajeel. Either way he had both hands raised and was crying. His partner wasn't moving anytime soon with that wound and was loosing too much blood. Suddenly Natsu's instincts screamed at him to move. He jumped out of the way just in time as the car with the purple roses on it suddenly gunned it and came barreling down the alleyway and after running over one of the unconscious men. Lucy looked up as well and actually jumped back out of the way. As it took off down the road. Her eyes watching it the entire way. She looked irritated about something. She looked back down at the bleeding man then looks back at her shop and up at the blue haired girl who was now leaning over the railing looking just as solemn, goggles hanging from her neck and revolver firmly in grasp. He can see a few off duty cops that where inside The Chamber come running over placing calls into their radio. As soon as they started to check on the victims and Natsu could hear the sirens in the distance he walks over to Lucy.

"Hey, you OK?" he asks softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But This area isn't. Not anymore." she answers just as quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"This neighborhood, has been neutral territory as it where for a long while now. It's why we set up shop here, Bisca and I. All groups need guns and car parts. From the cops to the crooks. You to shit where you get your food, if you get my drift. But these that new group...with they want to use this territory for something else. And I don't like it."

Natsu frowned down at the two still there. "Attempting to mark territory. They think because it's unmarked it's up for grabs. Not that it's a no-man's land." Lucy looks at him in surprise and with a renewed sense of curiosity. "Exactly." Natsu smirks at her. "Can't let that happen can we? It would put you and your neighbors in a bit of a bind right?"

"It's going to be hard to stop them."

"Not really." Natsu pulls off his jacket revealing a black tank top underneath. All that moving making it **really **uncomfortable. Or it simply could be the woman in front of him. Lucy attempts not to stare obviously. He had **great **arms.

"Oh how do you gather?" Natsu throws the jacket over his shoulder and grins. "Because I won't let it happen." She was reluctantly intrigued by this man before her. No it had nothing do with him showing off his muscles and wearing nice leather riding pants.

Absolutely nothing.

Though he certainly made that tattoo look nice.

Where had she seen that before...?

"And you are who, exactly to make such a promise, sir? You are only one man."

His grin morphed into something a tad darker, and more mature as he bows jauntily to her looking up through rose-colored bangs. "A man with many friends, Natsu Dragneel, Captain of Fairy Tail's, Dragonriders. At your service."


	10. Irreplaceable

**Chapter 9**

**Notes: I'm back again with yet another chapter. YAY! I want to first kindly thank all the reviews and follows and faves. It is very humbling to know that people actually enjoy reading the odd things that come out of my head. This chapter is kinda boring compared to the others but nessicary. The puzzle pieces have to all be present before I can let you lovely readers put them together again. I have been asked if there will be a lemon. I have honestly never written such a thing and I'm not sure I'm comfortable doing so. But I will implicate it in many cases strongly. It might sound strange but the characters tend to write themselves in this story if they make it 'public' yeah it might happen. Lol but so far When I 'hear' them they don't seem that way. :( I know it sounds crazy but that's how its coming to me.**

Natsu smiles softly and looks thoughtful as he drives. His mind speeding along around the same speed as Igneel. He silently thanked the forces that be that circumstances played out the way. Now he had a reason to hang around. The best protection, as far as he was concerned, would be if she would commit to being apart of Fairy Tail. The company fiercely protected their own. The trick, however, would be to convince someone as firmly independent and brilliant as Lucy that joining such a organization wasn't akin to being protected by the 'mob.' However taking into account what Levy had told him about her he could make some educated guesses... Though they never shook people down for money or other stereotypically 'mob-esque' actions, the description isn't that far off. He snorts slightly in amusement, causing a slight cough as some of the pungent smell tickles the back of his throat.

Pulling up to city hall he sighs in slight aggravation as he eyes Ur parked in a space by herself. _"here we go again..." _He eyed the leather riding jacket on the bike. Picking it up he meanders inside in search of his second. He was always nearby on Saturdays hoping to use the city's highly abbreviated work hours to his advantage. Natsu boredly accepts another article of clothing from one of the security guards and nods his thanks. The man smirks and waves him by the check point. Taking the elevator to the fourth floor Natsu comes out only to stop at the third door on his right and lean against the wall, not even bothering to peek into the open door.

Waiting.

It wasn't hard to hear what was being said. Even someone without his hearing would be able to pick up the sounds.

"J-Juvia..?"

"Ah...hai, Grey-sama?"

"Ah...I...I was wondering..."

"Yes?"

_3...2..1..._

"If you would like to go out for dinner~!?" Natsu watches in faint amusement as another article of clothing comes flying out of the open doorway. Followed by a very loud squeal and unfortunately the predicted thump. "Juvia? Juvia? Why does this keep happening!?"

"Because you keep stripping every time you get nervous, fucking pervert." Natsu comes in throwing his clothes at him. The poor blue haired girl in question is passed out behind her desk, her face a deep shade of red. Natsu looks down as Grey tries to prop her up. "She overheated." _As usual..._ This strange cycle of events kept happening every week or so for the last month. Juvia was a nice (read: "Odd") girl who has for quite sometime harbored a bit of a crush (I.E. creepy obsession) for his roommate. After sometime (and harassment) later Grey had to admit that he had developed a strange attraction to her (Natsu still couldn't figure out why). Natsu had to admit though that stepping out of his room only to be greeted by a person staring into the balcony window was a bit of a disturbing experience...but then Grey was presently only in his boxers and holding said unconscious girl. That in it's self is pretty disturbing. Picking her up the nearly nude man places her on the couch. Natsu then takes the opportunity to throw his clothes at him. "Get dressed. How you peeled out of leather riding pants while walking, I'll never know." Grey growls. "You know I have this issue!"

"It's more like have subscriptions." Grey had a horrible habit of stripping when he was nervous, and he's seriously nervous when dealing with his emotions. Most especially those of a romantic nature. Maybe that's why they could work. Juvia's strong emotions where worn on her sleeve while Grey's usual visage remained largely subtle. Natsu shrugs. "When your finally done I'll be downstairs. We gotta talk."

"Is it about that Hawkeye girl?" dark blue eyes follow the stalking form. "Yep."

"figured out how your going to do this?"

"Sure have."

"Do I even want to know?" he sighs, his voice muffled from inside his undershirt shirt as he pulls it on.

"Nothing big. I just plan on becoming irreplaceable." He smirks over his shoulder black eyes almost twinkling in mischievousness. Grey pauses and blinks as he pulls his hands through the sleeves. "I almost feel sorry for her." he chuckles. Natsu just grins.

* * *

Lucy stops and stares at Freed. "Chill. It's fine. I'm fine! I happened to have friends here to help me." He just continues to silently glare at her. "UGH! FINE! I am sorry I didn't immediately call you and gush about the gun fight!" She sighs and marches off to the back hanging the goggles back up and closing the hidden door. Her nerves where already slightly on edge from all the bursts of negative energy. One guy shot another one that gets run over. Those kind of auras are always disturbing to watch nevertheless. Usually she'd leave Freed to man the shop and go up to take a nap and decompress.

Usually.

But not this time. Something had changed...well more like someone was there who usually wasn't.

_Natsu _

He had insisted on standing very close to her when she had been questioned by the cops. Whenever she felt a bit strained he'd brush past her or lightly touch the small of her back to whisper something. Frankly, under normal circumstances, she'd find his touches to be too personal and would demand some space. However...it was those very same touches that made the whole ordeal bearable. He was also strangely warm. Almost abnormally so. It was...nice.

_Don't get too comfortable girl. Don't become dependent he doesn't even know what he does._ She frowns, _probably best he doesn't know. _She sighs as she thinks about all the clean up that was done in the back ally. Amazingly none of her cars where hit. But there where some bullet holes in her back walls and doors. That kinda pissed her off a bit but nothing that she didn't feel added a bit of character..but still it was just the principle of the matter. She, Bisca, and Levy should be the ones to have christened the back of her shop not some two bit delivery guys during a bad exchange. But it added to their "victim" status so the cops didn't ask too many questions. Thankfully, Levy remembered to wear gloves so the flash-bang would yield no prints. Their goggles could prove nothing really since Lucy had them specially commissioned. Even if they did find something it wouldn't matter. She had her fair share of connections and no few people in the department owe her and Levy some favors.

"Lucy, you know I would..."

"Never forgive yourself if something happened to me, I know I know. Nothing did happen to me. I'm fine. I'm safe, and due to some new acquaintances this area shouldn't become another target..." Freed's expression darkens even more. Lucy was not even sure that was possible. "Acquaintances?" she sighs and nods. "Yes...I met Levy's boyfriend. He's a bit grumpy but ultimately nice. And their mutual friend."

"Mutual friend?" Lucy sighs. He had that tone... "Yes, he's got a list of things he'd like to order and he plans on doing that tomorrow."

"You usually don't open on Sunday..."

"He is ordering enough parts for a entire bike, Freed. Think of it as an appointment." Freed "He?"

"Yes, it is a male." she watches in morbid fascination as Freed's aura flares with protectiveness. "I will be coming in tomorrow."

"Freed."

"I am coming and you cannot stop me. I refuse to allow you to be here alone with a unknown male!"

"He isn't entirely unknown. I've met him twice before today. You saw him Friday evening out on the patio..." Freed blinks and suddenly bristles ever so slightly at that. "That plebeian boy?"

"Well he's a bit older than a boy..." she chuckles then stops frowning at Freed's left hand. "Hey, where did you get that tattoo done again?" He stops looking at his left hand. "It's from several years ago while you where in college. I forget, some little shop downtown." Lucy blinks as his aura closes off to her. _He's hiding something? _  
"It just looked familiar to me is all. He had it too."

"Who _is _this mysterious 'he'" Freed's voice had taken on a slightly impetuous and commanding tone that Lucy wasn't used to and was frankly a bit irritated at. "Natsu. Natsu Draganeel. Why?" Freed stiffens and his eyes actually flare in time with his aura's light of recognition. "I will be here tomorrow. I will not leave you alone with him." Lucy glares. "Freed."

"End of discussion." he hisses at her before marching out of the shop. Brown eyes follow the retreating form in confusion. Freed only ever used that tone when he was livid. Of which she's only seen happen a handful of times. _What was that about? They both have the same mark...does it mean something? And if so, what?" _

Outside Freed stands in front of his car his phone to his ear.

"Laxus? We need to talk. Its about Lucy."

* * *

Erza looks up from all the reports given to rub her head. If what they said where correct then they could have a problem on their hands. All over town there have been reports of gang rumblings. The only problem is that they are two separate gangs. None of them members of Fairy Tail. _"Are they trying to draw us out and divide our forces? Or perhaps simply draw us out to try and incite a all out gang war. We've worked far too hard to earn the respect and trust of the citizens here, to have these other gangs come in and mess it up for us. We may have to visit Master Hades or Brain. Master will have to be involved in this and I may have to call back into action the Raijinshu, though they will not be happy about it, one in particular I'm sure._

"Erza?" the red head looks up at her office door and blinks in surprise. "Azlack? It's been a while, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?" The gun specialist simply scrubs a hand through his hair in nervousness. "I wish I could say this was a pleasure visit..but it isn't. You probably have the reports already right?" She nods in concern. "I do..are any of them yours?" The man smirks and hands her a folder. "No this one is. You should read it it's very interesting. Especially the one about who quelled the fight." Serious eyes scanned over the paper widened and then narrowed. "Is this right?"

"Saw it with my own eyes."

"I...am not sure how master will take this."

"Shouldn't he be happy?"

"Maybe, but he is very protective of his own."

"Even from the best of his own?"

The woman was silent for a very long moment.

"That... I cannot say."


	11. Sleeper Cell

**Chapter 11**

**Notes: I'm back! This one is all taking place at Lucy's place. I'm working on getting you where I want to go. It takes time. Which seems to be at a premium lately but eh what can a girl do? I do have other story ideas poking through my head...when I will have a chance to write them? I don't know. Hopefully when I can see the light at the end of this tunnel such a thing will happen. I haven't even managed to post a profile yet. Want to do that soon. Oh well he're's the latest installment. I couldn't think of a better chapter title. Sorry. Maybe I'll change it later.  
**

_**Sunday 11:45am**_

Lucy comes down yawning. Having stayed up half the night cleaning her guns and talking with the girls she was running on fumes. Thankfully her coffee maker runs just fine and with it being her technical day off she can lounge around a bit. She had a lifesaving cup of brew in her gun handled mug. She opens her front balcony doors and walks out and yawns gently. The faint but cool breeze on the wind telling her that the sweltering heat of summer was breaking under the gentle but insistent push of fall. She wears her hair in a braid pulled over one shoulder. Since she'd stopped bounty hunting she'd allowed her hair to grow longer and was only slightly shorter than Bisca's at below her shoulder blades. Absently she tugged her braid in thought as she looks out over the town lost in thought.

She's startled out of it by the sound of a bike echoing off the street. She looks down watching a blood red bike painted with a black silhouette of a dragon painted on it. While not a bike girl she could certainly see the appeal of it from both a mechanical and aesthetic point of views. Leaning over the rail in she watches it in open admiration which turns to surprise as it pulls up in front of her shop. She eyes the aura and blinks in surprise. He wasn't supposed to be here until two o'clock...why Is he here early!? Pulling off his helmet he grins up at her a bit sheepishly. "I know I'm early but I stopped to get lunch as an apology. I couldn't take my roommate so I came over early...I brought Chinese?" He holds up a large to-go bag from one of her favorite little shops. "YOU KNOW OF THAT PLACE TOO!?" she gasps out the first thing that comes to mind. _Ugh yeah. Real smooth..._

"WHO DOESN"T!?" he responds with genuine excitement.

"Wait...did Levy tell you?"

"No. I just like to eat...and because of that I've eaten at every restaurant in this town. Unfortunately they know me really well too...made it to several walls of fame...been banned from a few..." She laughs. "I'm coming downstairs I can smell that from here!" she runs back inside and pads down the stairs. Opening up the garage door she peeks out. Natsu ducks under the door and blinks down at her. "Flaming wheels...Cute." Lucy blinks and looks down at herself. Mens_ boxers (With the flaming wheels) and tank top ( it had ironically the Monty Python Bunny on it holding a leg in it's mouth OH and did I mention that I also sleep in no bra? Yeah...classy) and flip flop wearing self. _She sighs. _So much for being cute...oh well. What the hell anyway? _

"Oops. Sorry. I was about to get dressed...uh...if you don't mind waiting in my kitchen for a bit I'll come back out more decent..." To her amusement he simply chuckles. "Whatever makes you comfortable. I'm here on your off day anyway." Lucy eyes his colors out of the corner of her eyes curiously as she closes the gate behind him. He actually doesn't seem too bothered. She shrugs. "Is that coffee I smell?" Lucy blinks. Her coffee had been in the pot for over 45 mins...it's smell certainly isn't that strong and would not be reaching down here to any intensity. "I...did have some made a while ago...w-would you like a cup?" He grins and nods eagerly. She shakes her head. She goes to offer to help with his bag and he easily steps aside motioning her to lead the way. It was so smoothly done that if she hadn't seen the tell tail flash in his aura she would've missed his firm refusal of the idea of her carrying it. Part of her wants to be offended...the other is kind of giggling happily. Just because she COULD doesn't mean she didn't **like** it when a man offered and did carry heavy things...

_Gods I'm weird..._ She leads him upstairs within a very closed in stair way. The one Levy disappeared into yesterday, if Natsu remembers clearly. He notices that below them in the stairway is another door. "Closet?" he asks absently. Lucy looks down. "No...that's the basement apartment." Natsu blinks. "Huh?" Lucy shrugs. "You never know when you might need it." Storing that information away for later he decides not to comment on it. She leads him out into a very nice and modern styled apartment, all sleek lines, blacks, grays and blues. Very...boring. Very...cold. Nothing like her. Rather like she was intentionally keeping herself out of the design. _Or she works so much she doesn't have time to decorate._ The kitchen showed more use and a bit more of her personality with the strangely cute motif of baby chicks done on the curtains and dish rags. The grenade salt and pepper shakers and the gun handled coffee mug make him chortle a bit. She pulls out another mug this one with a handle that had a set of brass knuckles as the handle to pour his cup of coffee in to. He blinks at that mug. "I have to get one." She grins. "Freed gave me hell about buying both of these but I love them. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back..." She hurries off to a closed door down a small hall. "OH the cream is in the fridge in the small pitcher and the sugar is on the table in the little engine." He hears the door click shut and frowns down at the little ceramic engine. "So...*that's* what's in this thing..."

In her room Lucy looks down at herself deep in thought the nagging thought now being. _"Why the __**hell **__did I just let a strange man into my apartment while in my sleep clothes!? Oh god I'm just asking to end up on the back of a milk carton...but Levy trusts him and I see no malicious intent in him. So I should be OK right? Besides, if I act and talk like one of the guys I'll be regulated to that area. MAYBE that's why I let him in so easily? He's already just like another one of the guys like Freed or Bickslow." _Confident that that is the way of the world she feels more secure in herself and her pulls out a t-shirt and some yoga pants to wear...and real underwear. Not that push up lacy bullshit. Sports bra. Because there is no point in trying to look cute for just another one of the boys right?

* * *

_**1:45pm**_

Freed pulls up to the shop to chaperone grumbling the whole way. He slams on breaks when he sees a bike already parked outside the shop. Parking quickly he runs to the machine and places his hand over the engine. Cold.

_He's been here already? For a good minute too. I thought he wasn't supposed to be here until 2...Frowning_ he looks into the front window. No one. Appointments are **always **held down in the showcase area for neutrality sake...

"No..." Freed suddenly gets a cold chill. She wouldn't be stupid enough to allow him into her apartment would she!? Freed hurriedly lets himself into the back door and tears up the stairs. "LUCY~!? LUCY~!?" Bursting through the door into her living room as he looks around frantically. Lucy is looking up from the floor over the back of her sectional. "FREED? What is it!?" there are papers all over the coffee table and her laptop is hooked into her flat screen giving her a large monitor to work with. He takes a deep breath. "OH...thank goodness are you..what ARE you wearing?" Lucy blinks. "Yoga Pants and t-shirt why?"

Freed looks disappointingly at the shirt. It was one of Laxus' old sponsor shirts and was stretched out and never stayed up on her shoulder, clearly showing one black sports bra strap. With her hair up in a messy ponytail she was comfortable. But Freed was not so happy with the outfit. Lucy is a very attractive girl and though she might be dressed as 'bummy' the outfit would be very alluring to the right crowd... Maybe if she didn't let him in and he isn't here I have enough time to get her to change... Natsu's head pops up from the floor area as well. _Dammit to hell...she did and he __**is**_

"Your appointment was at two." Freed intones coldly.

"Yeah, well something kinda came up and I brought lunch as an apology. I meowed at the front door to be let in early." Natsu smirks responding to the unspoken challenge with one of his own. _If she didn't want me here I wouldn't have been let up. _The older man glares. Lucy looks between the two and sighs. _Men and their pissing contests..._

"Natsu, This is Freed Justine. He works as my accountant and Nurse maid."

"Funny." Freed glares

"I thought so."

Lucy stands up. "Well I'm going to get something to drink, want anything?" Natsu looks at her and smiles. Freed's frown goes ever lower. "Maybe a pop or something?" The Captain answers. Lucy hops over the cord connecting her computer to the TV and running towards the kitchen she frowns at Freed giving him "the eye" to follow her into the kitchen. Natsu smirks _so he does plan to stop me. Funny. I wonder who will win this battle? _

_"Freed!_ I don't want you to start! Nothing happened. He's just like one of the guys. He's nice and very polite, look! He brought lunch for us too!" Freed looks over. _"Oh...this bastards good. Even brought her favorite place's Chinese...AND the Pork Buns. It's like he's doing this to gain her regard... Bastard._

Lucy sighs. "NO he didn't get help we just happen to like the same things..."

"I don't like him. He's up to something."

Turning from the fridge she frowns at him. "Alright. You have to make a decision Freed. Either you want me to make more friends and POSSIBLY in the future have a romantic relationship with some mythical man that can actually put up with my quirks. OR You want me to have to spend my entire life parading every friend past you for your approval and with your over protective tendencies, me ending up more alone than before. Which is it? I will warn you there is a wrong answer." Freed frowns. Of all the time for Lucy to get stubborn. "Lucy look he is apart of a dangerous bike gang."

"Head of it, actually. Continue. Is Earl Grey alright with you? I feel like tea."

"That sounds lovely. It's a gang well-known for the violence of their brawls."

"They never have killed."

"But the victims are usually so terrified that they never even think to raise their hands to them again."

"That just means their good at what they do."

"Or violent and dangerous and might I add probably twisted as hell."

"Sounds like my kind of people." she laughs.

The sound of a tea kettle beginning to whistle merrily is heard followed by a firm thump the counter by Freed. "I am not playing Lucy."

"Neither am I. I do not sense such horrible things about him." Water is poured into a tea pot.

He shakes his head. "You are naïve." This time the kettle is nearly slammed down on the stove top. Lucy's anger rising. "This is about you isn't it? Like your tattoo the one you refuse to tell me anything about?" She looks at him. "You know how many times I've looked that symbol up on the net? Hundreds. And Though it's everywhere in this town I cannot find anything about it on the net. Neither can Levy, now why would that be? Tell me, Freed and maybe, just maybe I'll believe you! I have also noticed that Natsu shares the same symbol." she hisses softly.

Freed leans back in surprise as he actually can *feel* the push of Lucy's anger against his 'bubble.' It had been quite a while since he felt that and it was just as disconcerting now as it was the first time before she learned to control it. steeling himself he willed himself to calm down. If she continued to absorb his irritation and anger...well bad things would happen. The woman before him didn't just absorb vibrations. She sometimes, when feeling threatened, could absorb the emotions being thrown at her and ball them up, amplify them and would either end up going off her self which was very bad. Or, a possibly worst case scenario was that she took the denser more concentrated version of your own vibrations and throws them back at you in a very nasty attack. He'd only seen the results once and the man was still in counseling even after being let out of the hospital. It wasn't until that moment that he had realized why Lucy called them 'vibrations' rather than 'emotions.' If she only felt emotions she would've simply been a empath. But she had with that victim also felt that he was sick and when she amplified and shoved his vibrations back at him had made him deathly ill as well as in the emotional state that made him virtually useless. Though this is largely a subconscious thing it makes it unpredictable and highly volatile. It's yet another reason Freed kept her circle of friends very small, only those sensitive to auras where typically allowed in and even then they had to be aware of their own just in case such a thing begins to happen. It's really for everyone's safety and Lucy's mental health. She was getting better at controlling the feel of when she was doing it but since she, for obvious reasons, does not practice the skill, she is only learning controls by bits and pieces. Taking a deep breath, allowing the Bergamont to soothe his senses, he calms his anger and pushes it back, and back again behind his usual stoic shield. "Lucy.." he starts off softly. "Easy...look I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want you hurt. Just...humor me...and let me stay today?" he allows his concern to rise to the top and carefully keeping her stubbornness from twisting it into anger. Tentatively he reaches out his hand to her arm. "Ne~e? Hoshi-chan?" he pulls out the little nickname he and Laxus had given to her as a small child. Instantly the push eased up and dissipated leaving her looking only slightly frayed around the edges but nothing that she herself couldn't heal quickly. She sighs gently. "Alright...just please, try not to be an ass. He really does seem like a nice guy and I think given some time you two would get along." The older man just looks skeptical.

Outside from his seat on the floor Natsu chuckles. Despite their soft voices he still could clearly hear them and looked down at his list. He'd had Grey's help to ask for some pretty obscure parts...many 'off market' and possibly a few black market ones. He made sure he'd be here a while to hash things out. If Freed was going to stay he'd just have to deal with him being here. He had a goal and though she didn't see him romantically, _yet_, she did see him as possibly "one of the guys." And that was a long way from simply the customer he was yesterday...

Looking up from his papers as Lucy comes back in he fights a frown at the faint strain he sees around her edges. "Sorry for the wait I suddenly wanted tea." She hands him his cold drink, their fingers brushing ever so slightly. And if he didn't know Lucy so well he would've missed the way her eyes immediately calmed and seemed to smooth out a bit. "Freed has a good bit of experience with locating hard to find parts. He might be able to help us." She says smiling now genuinely almost as if the little altercation never happened.

"Sure. It would be great if you could help." he smiles offering his hand. Freed takes it as it would be rude not to..."I look forward to seeing your finished product." Natsu hands him a large schematic. "I had a friend help me with the technical drawing. But all the specs are my work. It took some time to make sure that everything would not only work well together but look good." Freed is reluctantly impressed. "How would you know this?" The pink haired man shrugs. "I've worked on bikes for some time now."

Lucy looks over. "That's right when we first met you mentioned working on bikes." He nods. "Yeah I'll just need a place to assemble this guy when I get all the parts." Lucy thinks. "Well I usually only use one of my garage's at a time maybe we can work out an arrangement?" Freed looks as if he's going to argue but for some reason backs down. "I would request that If this occurs I am here." Natsu slides his eyes towards his elder gauging his mood. _Huh, still going to try and make sure your a shield between us eh? Too bad I'm not going to give up that easily. _Freed, perhaps reading something of that there glares back. _Back off whelp. You are not worthy. _Lucy looks up from her laptop and glares at both of them. "You two, play nice. Do I need to bring squeaker toys out for you to play with?"

"Can mine be a duck? I like ducks that squeak." The biker's response was quick catching both of the other occupants off guard. Freed isn't sure how to take it but Lucy can't fight the laugh that bubbles to the surface. A real one. The green haired man looks at her then to Natsu with dubious and reluctant respect. He glances down at Natsu's tattoo and lifts a brow. Natsu notices his look and pointedly looks at his left hand. Freed immediately attempts to hide it and glares at him. Natsu looks up at him in surprise before squinting at him speculatively a look that clearly said: _"We need to talk." _

Freed couldn't agree more.

**Sunday 7:59pm**

It wasn't until Natsu was leaving, after Freed was duped into cooking a dinner for them, that a private moment was obtained by the two men. Freed just 'happened' to be leaving too so he decided he would 'escort' Natsu out. Watching the head in front of him on the stairs Natsu grins slightly to himself. He had gently ribbed the man most of the time and was certain his next comment would get a reaction. "So, do you think Lucy will ever rent out the basement apartment? Been thinking about moving to a new place." He watches in faint amusement as Freed tenses. Natsu isn't sure that he'd be able to get any tighter...he's sure the man will have a knot in between his shoulder blades tonight. They continue in silence until outside. That was when Freed rounded on Natsu, anger clear in his face and fist. Thankfully Natsu had expected something similar and sidesteps. Unfortunately Freed was much more skilled than Natsu expected because it was quickly followed up with a deadly roundhouse that hurts more than it should followed by a hand forcing him back against the shop wall. Natsu was no slouch in a fight often able to hold his own against Erza. But this caught him by surprise and this man knew how to use such things to his advantage, very well. He was stronger than he looked and had experience behind his eyes. He fought like a...damn. _Shouldn't have poked him that hard..._ Glaring at him. Levy didn't mention...heh. _Didn't need to know, huh? Good one Midget..._ Natsu looks up at him and laughs. "Does she know?" The question causing his attacker to Freeze. "You shouldn't be here."

"Not what I asked. Does she know?" Natsu grabs the hand holding his shoulder hostage against the wall to reveal the green tattoo on his hand. The immediate response of letting him go was answered with a nasty scowl. "She doesn't need to know."

"As I just found out what I don't know **can** hurt me."

"I don't like you. Your too impetuous and aggressive. She does not need someone like YOU in her life." Natsu just shrugs. "Yet it's perfectly alright for her to have a N-gage sleeper cell member as a co-worker and one as a best friend's husband across the lane? ALL without her knowledge? Makes me wonder if that whole thing wasn't just a ploy to try to flush you guys out." Freed freezes. He hadn't thought of that. Nor, to be honest, had Natsu until he had just said it...and now that he had...

"Oh shit..."

"Oh piss."

That meant that they where watching and now thought that Lucy and Levy where the sleeper unit. _Damn _ Natsu looks up at Freed who suddenly looked like he was having a moral break down. "You've been here for years...damn. I wasn't trying to put her into MORE danger." Freed glares. "What DO you need from her?" Natsu smiles and decides to keep some of his more...questionable _needs _regarding Lucy to himself. The man was already a bit high-strung and though he now knew that he could probably take him in a one on one didn't really feel like getting into a fairly bloody battle right below the girl's window he was currently attempting to woo. Though it rankled him and went against most of his instincts...he backed away from temptation. "She's a top drifter right?" Freed actually blinks in surprise not expecting such a thing but quickly straightens and lifts his nose in pride. "The second only to her brother. Right now there is no one better in Magnolia"

"I need those skills. At least once to make a good showing for Fairy Tail at the first race at the end of the month. Especially now with this idiots trying to start fights. We need all the info and shows of strength as possible." Freed looks a bit irritated though not at all agreeing with Natsu's presence he could not argue with the need. "I don't want her to do it."

"Think she could train someone to be decent or better in three weeks?"

"Hell no. We'd have to make sure their car could handle the stress and if they even knew how to handle that kind of outfitted car. Lucy's already got her's made and the skills...*sigh* so she would be the best choice..." Freed slumps in slight defeat. "It is dangerous..." Natsu looks off. "It's dangerous here now, if you want to be technical." he nods to the dark car that's been sitting in an alley across the street. "it's why that unmarked* has sat there at least since you arrived."

_damn...I hadn't even noticed. I'm getting lazy, Laxus would never forgive me..._ Natsu smirks "And I plan on coming around even more until I feel I can ask her for her help. I can also act as a sort of deterrant. Grey, Gajeel and I are well known in the circles...most don't want to mess with us on principle. Think of us as the front men and you are there only if shit really goes down the crapper."

"I don't like this. Lucy will attempt to kill us if she finds out about protecting her without telling her."

Natsu shrugs. "We'll deal with that when we get there. For the moment, though, I simply want her to trust me." _I want to be a fixture in her life. Like you...only much more than 'one of the boys' or a 'brother.' _

The older man looks hard at Natsu. "Laxus used to mention a boy named Natsu a lot. He was hot-headed, loud, abrasive, and oblivious. Always looking for a fight... You seem to be none of those. But it is certainly you."

"People grow up and learn. I'm still all of those but not at the same time anymore. And usually only when I need to be." he shrugs.

Heat was his weapon and it permeated his entire personality often having lead to fights, physical, usually, and childish like displays of temper and violence. It just felt like a well within him would bubble up at a moments notice and over run him and what he was thinking, knocking it all out-of-the-way in favor of anger and fighting. It's not that he was 'stupid' he just had a very hard time paying attention as similar to fire and heat he wanted to be active and be hands on. The martial arts their master forced him into had helped a bit...he became a slightly quieter volcano. But it was still very easy to get him to blow his top. It wasn't until his first year of college did he finally understand that all of that was just a manifestation of his power and that to truly control it he had to hone it and his mind into better weapons as well as his body. Particularly hot fires used in weapon forges burn out impurities and create a stronger product. So Natsu figured why not he do that with himself? Focus that searing heat inwards for a while? For 4 years, all through college, he proceeded to 'forge' himself, he kept a schedule of Mixed Martial Arts and serious meditation. Finally, he had his tendencies better handled. But that didn't mean he was any less hot-headed, he just hid it better. Focused it. Used it.

Freed looked at him a little more closely. "Yes..you are different, now. Fine. I won't...stop you from visiting, but I will not stop being around when you do." Natsu shrugs again as he walks off towards his bike. His side was smarting, he'd have a bruise tomorrow...of that he was sure. He stops right before stepping off the curb he looks back at him. "You know, the best protection would be to simply have her join Fairy Tail." Freed who has opened his car door stops and stares at him, "No it would only cause more trouble that way, especially without her brother here. If he was here...maybe. _She _is dangerous to us without her even knowing so. I'm here for her, as per master wishes. I keep watch over her to prevent, issues."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Pray that you never find out, Captain," and with that the car door is shut behind him and the white Volvo drives off leaving Natsu deep in thought.


	12. BBQ for the DQ (Drift Queen)

**Chapter 12**

**Notes: Don't own Fairy Tail. And while I LOVE Mashima-san's work I don't envy him the effort. Take it easy sometimes Mashima-san! We want you make much more not pass out from exhaustion. Keep up the wonderful work! **

**Thank you for all the kind words. This chapter was a bit of a challenge as I knew where I wanted to go but having the characters cooperate in getting there is sometimes difficult as they sometimes have their own agendas. Yes. I know. Don't laugh it's true. Rather like Rumiko Takashi, the princess of Manga herself would say that if she needed story ideas she'd just go to the closet door and peek into it and watch what the characters are doing. That is not always easy when other story ideas like to get in the way. I just don't want to start another one yet until I feel I'm about to wrap this one...*sigh* I'm not entirely happy with this chapter so I might be stealth updating and fixing somethings.**

"I take it things are going as planned?" A rather distinguished man asks quietly as he sips his wine. The filet Minon on his plate half eaten. He eyes the man before him. Though he did not agree that a purple pompadour was the most fashionable hair style choice he had everything a good follower should have in his book:

Blind Loyalty, above average skills and smarts, below average sense of self preservation and social intelligence, and, most importantly: moral ambiguity when it came down to their beliefs.

_Especially if you are feeding them those beliefs. _

"Yes sir. Fairy Tail is on high alert. Already they have their feelers out trying to find out our plans. They are trying to contact Brain. Is that wise? They might make a agreement to stop us." One good eye simply crinkles in amusement surrounded by well kept gray hair. "Oh, I don't think you need to worry about that. There is no way Brain will be of any use to him."

* * *

Erza walked carefully amid the broken glass and ripped pillows. She stares dispassionately down at the victim who's face was stretched into a odd mix between horror and anger, permanently. It reeked here and it was clear to anyone who would witness this scene: This man was an example. A very bloody example. Absently the red-head heard her team make their own comments out loud. Most of which she agreed with. Eying the middle aged man in concern she still had one large problem that kept repeating itself in her head. _"If Brain is here...dead. Who is ordering his guild's actions?"_

* * *

Natsu sits cross-legged on the garage floor. Having rented the far garage to work on his new bike, he had plenty of time to watch his target. She was presently rolled under a classic 1940's Ford Truck done in a metallic royal blue. That little roll back rest...had so many posibilities outside of mechanic work that it made concentrating... difficult. That and she was so very relaxed around him. Unguarded even. Though he had known he had wanted her regard, over the past fortnight, he was becoming increasingly surprised at how comfortable it was to be around her. She was kind, strong, capable, and though independent and stubborn, worked well with others. She was easily becoming one of his closest friends. And that was odd. Though Natsu was 'friends' with many he could count his very close friends as few. But all such friendships, except perhaps one, had happened much the same way as Lucy's.

Either he completely clicked with you or he didn't. You could work your way into being a close friend through time and effort but to date only one person was patient enough to do that as Natsu is quite aware that he is a quirky and often infuriating person to deal with especially if he is tired, hungry, or irritated. Lucy had met him snarl for snarl at times and in a record time had somehow learned to redirect his attentions and thoughts. It was a gift that to date only his close friends and his cat, Happy could do with any regularity. Grey could..but usually towards anger. Erza could as well...but only towards fear. Lisanna could as well but towards faintly bemused confusion or tolerance. Lucy, however, seemed to know exactly how to calm him down, rev him up or anything in between. And it wasn't a power that he could ascertain just what she learned from being with him. That and apparently she was **smart. **After looking at his schematics only once she could rattle back to him what parts where there and which ones they where still missing without missing a beat, and he saw her degrees and certificates on the walls. After a few bouts of quick mental math he could only blink at the ages at which she earned some of her honors. But you couldn't tell that based on how she was with friends.

Levy was a constant visitor and their conversations where sometimes a bit disturbing to those who where worried about being shot, run over, or exploded. The few times Grey had come by fights had broke out and, though she wasn't Erza and couldn't physically break them up some how she could just redirect his attention and nullify the fight into a glaring match. There was few things he wasn't pretty clear on when it came to Lucy Hearfilia. Aside from gauging her ultimate response to her request the only other thing he couldn't understand was why she hadn't been snatched up by some other guy. Glancing over at the windowed office to the glaring eyes of her 'guard dog' he mentally assents that **that **might be one of the reasons. Her powers maybe another one. But time was running out and he needed her agreement. Looking back at his project he figured that today at lunch was as good of a time as any to start the final phase of his plan to ask.

_Lets just hope she won't immediately reject me._

She could feel him watching her. But it wasn't the intrusive kind of watching that he had done one their second meeting. But more of a inwardly pensive one. Continuing her work she absently noticed that she was almost as comfortable around him as she was Laxus. But certainly not in a brotherly sense. No matter how hard she tried to direct her traitorous heart that way and not think such incriminating things.

Incriminating but decadent things that often left her feeling faintly flushed and frustrated.

Annoying at night, downright distracting like now when she needs to have this finished. But she couldn't deny that he was a attractive man. An attractive and unattached man who was spending quite a bit of time with her. Some buried part of her perked up and preened a bit at the implications that brought up. But she refused to pay it much mind. He would run off once he discovered her secret. She didn't miss Levy's suggesting look at one of their many group lunches and did her best to ignore them. She refused become one of those simpering girls with crushes. She was a grown woman and 'crushes' where juvenile wastes of time that usually only lasted a very short time. She was sure that, given time, her 'crush' on Captain Dragneel would fade into that similar feeling she had for Freed.

With a self satisfied nod she decided to direct her mind away from that subject on to the one that's been bothering her for a while now: The two men in her shop at the moment.

Both Freed and Natsu had come to a sort of agreement and though weren't comfortable around each other, where neither hostile either. In fact it's like they where always on a kind of in a constant state of faint awareness. Like they where ready for a fight at a moment's notice. Though after Natsu's second visit she couldn't argue with his wariness. There where the occasional Bacon that would stop by and Lucy herself had pegged some plain clothes ones too. Guess everyone is paranoid now. She herself kept a side arm on her in her ankle holster. Every now and then the Captain would pause what he's doing and seemingly stop to listen, his aura lightening with attentiveness. He seemed to hear customers before they arrived and smell things she didn't smell...but when asked about it he simply said he was sensitive to somethings. _"If he means "somethings" to be everything..."_ It was curious.

_HE _was curious.

Of all the things she expected the head of such a 'fearsome' group of bikers to act like...boyish, occasionally oblivious, and so openly friendly isn't what she would've pictured. But so far everyone hes introduced her to from his band of riders has been equally nice.

It seems that Fairy Tail is a much bigger group than what even some underground people know. For Natsu had even implied that he answered to someone. When asked about how Everafter plays into their group the Captain had just shrugged. "Mira wanted to start a restaurant has always wanted one. We just helped her." Why did it not seem that simple?

_But what if it was? That might be weirder than the usual mob set up. _

She blinks. But what she knew of Fairy Tail was actually rather encouraging. Even the few cops she'd chatted up couldn't say too much bad about them. Though it did seem that lately they are taking a second glance at the group, the gang wars seemingly rubbing them the wrong way as well. Lucy felt the urge to protect their reputation but did so through soft comments and planting subtle seeds of confidence about the group. After all she knew the Captain of the Dragonriders and was pretty sure she was just about family with someone who is either a inactive or ex-member of that group (even if Freed kept dodging the subject with her she wasn't _stupid. Naive_ sometimes but certainly not stupid). She pulls the defective CV joint loose and glares at it in irritation before tossing it into her pan next to her, the thing nearly breaking apart in her hands, some of the smaller bits falling into her chest. Glad she had a crew neck shirt on as the smaller parts may have tried to fall into uncomfortable places had she worn the V-neck. Shifting about she glances over as Freed comes to the door announcing that he was going to get lunch and that **he** was going to pick from where and what.

Both Natsu and Lucy scowl at that proclamation. "Nothing wussy like a salad." Lucy nods. "I second that."

"You know, a salad every once in a while **is** good for you."

"Not when I'm hungry 20 minutes later after having eaten nothing but hard water. Meat first then worry about all the stupid stuff on the side later. Come on you gotta admit there is nothing quite a good as a thick piece of meat." Lucy grins. "I like how he thinks." Natsu shoots her a look that had Freed fighting the urge to punch him for it's thinly veiled perverseness. He restrains himself when he realizes that the man was just baiting him, judging by the sly look he was now receiving out of the corner of the captain's eye. Lucy for all her perception abilities didn't catch the slight sexual innuendo caused by Natsu's expression and her sudden agreement. _"She's still so innocent sometimes...how when she has Laxus as a brother and hangs around men and cars I'll never know." _

Freed groans. "How's Barbeque sound?" Lucy perks. "GREAT~!" Natsu leans back. "In that case just get me the supplies and I'll give you the best Barbeque you have ever tasted." Freed looks skeptical. "We could just have someone make it and..."

"No. I make my own. You got a grill?" Lucy shakes her head. "No...but Azlack next door does."

"Is it propane?"

"No. It's a small one though."

"Good. I can make it work. Hold on I'll write down everything you need to get." He walks into the office leaving one curious woman and slightly pissed man. "How dare he!?"

"Well we would get more bang for our buck this way and possibly have left overs. Why are you so irritated anyway?" Freed bites the inside of his cheek ignoring that last question for the sake of peace and possibly other unwanted questions. Coming back out he hands the list over. "I guess you'd want chicken so I put it on the list too. Just for you." he pats Freed's shoulder noting it's tenseness.

"By the time you come back I should be done and cleaned up. We can make it a cook out. I can make potato salad or something." She thinks for a moment. "I think I have the makings for that..." she absently wanders off to think while she goes to finish working on the truck. Freed restrains a sneer at Natsu before walking out.

_He's so easy to rile up. Huh, I wonder if I was like that? _

Thinking for a few moments about the past...all the fights he got into, all the times he had to go to principle's offices, detentions...actually he may have been worst. He chuckles to himself before going about putting together the last few parts. It was rather nice here...

Getting the grill wasn't the odd part, going upstairs to her apartment for supplies wasn't odd either...but what **was **odd was her 'backyard.' It was more of a grassy area built on the top of her garage's back overhang and fenced off with rather unattractive metal. He suspected that that was intentional as to not have people look too hard at her place. He found it rather...ingenious. He chuckles as he sets the grill up the grass tickling his bare feet.

_She's right it is better to be out here in bare feet... _

glancing back inside he smiles at the sight of her bustling back and forth in the kitchen. He was never good at side dishes if they didn't entail fire. It would be nice to have more than just meat to eat. Freed was reluctantly manning the shop but felt comfortable enough to leave him up here as he was within yelling distance. Though Natsu silently noted that if Lucy was yelling it would be for reasons that he wouldn't want anyone to interrupt them. But this proved to be a good time to ask her as any...

Sticking his head into the sliding doors "Hey I got two steaks at medium ready if you could get me a plate." He moved the meat to a cooler area of the grill to try and minimize their continual cooking.

"Wow, that smells great." Lucy holds out a plate for him to place them on, which he does without hesitation.

"The next ones are going to be Freed's shoe leather..."

She laughs. "I don't know how he eats it like that." He looks down at the magazine he was 'reading.' "Hey, what do you know about this?" he holds a article out to her.

"Drifting? It came from the far east...it's starting to become a regular here now though. It's fun if you ask me but then I have been told that I have a disturbing attachment to my cars and the feeling of speed. But I learned it. Was pretty good at it too, haven't practiced in a while though. Probably because there really is only one of two places to practice it around here. One is very dangerous, but also my Favorite, Mt. Hakobe, and a old track not to far from here." He frowns.

"It's apparently a full competition over there." Lucy lifts a brow at him.

"Your curious." He flushes slightly under his tan.

"Kinda. I'm a biker I don't **do **cars. So it's hard to understand what their talking about when I read it." Lucy thinks for a moment and eyes him critically. She has a inkling about what he might want but for the moment...is willing to ignore it. Besides he would be a game changer...she could still participate again like she did when Laxus was still around. Maybe not always but..it might be nice occasionally.

"The track isn't far from here. Maybe tonight I can show you in person what drifting is like?" She had to fight the urge to laugh at the dumbfounded face he was making.

_Didn't think it would be that easy did you? I got your number. Just better be glad I know it wasn't your only goal..._The blonde thought rather smugly. _Lets just see how desperate you are for help..._

She simply hums to herself as she walks back inside to place those steaks in the warmer. Natsu feels a shiver go down his spine.

_What was the chill just now?_

* * *

The lunch was a hit, even with the reluctant Freed, and all had to agree that the Captain did have a way with the grill. There where plenty of leftovers, some of which where taken over to the Chamber as 'payment' for use of their grill. It was agreed that Natsu would meet Lucy at the track as she was sure Freed would insist on coming if he knew. As it was he was giving both of them 'the eye' as he and Natsu left the shop. Lucy couldn't help but think that Freed's lack of faith in her was **appalling**...

Warranted at times.

Many times.

But appalling none the less. If only she could help him understand that he could trust at her whim. _Why did that man have to be so unreasonable!? _

Probably due to the times you have been untrustworthy and sneaky getting around him. _Quiet logic! I don't need the facts to confuse me! _

Freed did leave, however, but not before giving both of them 'the eye.'

* * *

**11:40pm**

Natsu was sitting at the abandoned track about 10 miles outside of town. Frankly he couldn't believe this place still existed. There had been numerous petitions to tear it up and put in apartment complexes or even a mall but none where accepted. The place was 'chained' shut but it seemed that no one listened to that as he could still see fresh tire tracks going into and out of the area and the track looks only minimally patched. Had it truly been abandoned the track would've been unusable due to disuse.

He was early, but If he knew Lucy, which was starting to discover that he knew her better than he expected, she would be early as well. Sure enough he heard the pleasing rumble of a sports car come up the road. It was a Toyota Supra, that sounded like it had some serious work done under the hood. The car had a nice spoiler of moderate size and was painted a metallic blue so dark it looked black. Running along the sides, through the center of the doors was golden hued EL wire strips. Natsu could only stare as the car pulled to a stop not even 10 feet from him. Stepping out Lucy grins.

"Hey, I'm not late right?" she had changed, and Natsu prayed he'd be able to hold a decent conversation. She wasn't wearing anything, sexy per say but it did make him reacquainted with her assets with a suddenness that was rather disconcerting. She had a just above knee length denim skirt on with a zipper that ran up the right thigh from hem to pocket.

_I wonder if that zipper works?_ The blue corset top she wore pushed everything into just the right position, the black track jacket she wore to ward off the chill with did nothing to hide her abundant blessings.

_And oh what blessings they where..._ Along with a simple pair of black sneakers and pom-pom socks. Her hair was left to hang free flying in the faint breeze and as she pushed some of the hair from her face he noticed, fingerless, leather driving gloves. She looked great. Natsu wasn't sure which he preferred...this "Racer Lucy" or the "Pin-up" Lucy (as he'd come to call her first Night out outfit). But he had gotten so used to her 'work wear' that he'd been somewhat under prepared for her in something a little more feminine. Not that he didn't like her in her work clothes...she was more down to earth fun, willing to get dirty. Though she seemed to be finicky about getting clean afterwards.

"Natsu? You OK?" snapped out of his perusing of her figure and having indecent flash backs to some of her previous outfits he blinks. "What? OH! Yeah. I'm great. Your fine. _Fine." _The girl blinks at him them smirks.

"I'm glad you found this place. Since being a biker you might not have known about it, but seeing as Gajeel is an acquaintance of yours, I would think it odd if you didn't." Natsu shrugs.

"We only come out here once or twice. Though I have Drivers that are apart of the Riders they usually train and take care of themselves. I rarely come here."

"Yeah, it's pretty basic, but it's the best place to show you basic drifting. I'll go around a couple of times so you can actually see and hear what it's like in person. Internet will never compare." She grins as she goes to climb into the car. Natsu's eyes stray again.

_Ye gods... the zipper works..._

The sound of the car's engine snaps his concentration again to the fact that the car was now rapidly moving away from hi good clip. He had watched several videos but nothing really did prepare him for the sight of a car moving sideways in person, faint traces of smoke billowing afterwards. He knew she was good but she put almost everyone he's seen previously to shame. There where no jerky corrections or miss-judgements. Only control and confidence. She spins to a stop next to him after about two awe inspiring passes to roll down her window at him. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes alight with a ethereal fire he'd never seen before. It was spell binding.

_I have to have this. I have to know more about her. I wonder what else can make her eyes light like this? I want to bring that light, that heat, that fire to her eyes._

"Alright, you got to watch from the side lines. Now it's time for the **real** show. Get in."

"Huh?"

"Come on! You have to experience this! Its not the same as a bike but I promise you'll have a very satisfying rush." she's absently stroking her gear shift, lovingly gazing at it like one would a lover, her other hand is sliding around her steering wheel. Doe brown eyes lift to snare Natsu's. "Come on. Don't you want a ride?"

"_Hell yes..." _

**5Minutes later:**

For the first time Natsu got to see the actual Hawkeye of the past. The Sexy bounty hunter she must have been prior to 'retirement.' As she hit the first curve he heard her sigh happily as her mouth pulled into a sexy smirk her confidence in her skill and her car was like a dance. Her hands slid over the steering wheel sensually. If it wasn't for the fact that his stomach was now competing for Olympic gold in gymnastics floor work he probably would've been able to enjoy the scene. Damn him and his motion sickness! Cars didn't like him...but then it never worked with closed in vehicles. Maybe if it was a convertible. His hand convulsively clutched at the 'oh shit' bar his knuckles brushing the roll cage.

_Which couldn't be there in a convertible...right._ Even the FIVE ginger tabs he'd shoved into his mouth prior to getting in was having what seemed to be very little effect. He'd hate to know what would've happen if he didn't. He burbled holding a hand to his mouth, knuckles white.

Though the g-forces might not be helping him; they seem to be having the exact opposite effect on her. Her pupils had dilated, she was breathing just a bit heavier than necessary... that smell... Damn it why couldn't he _enjoy _this like he wants to!? He wanted to be allowed the pleasure of committing these visuals to memory not having to fight the urge to upchuck all over her nice upholstery.

_Damn you stomach. Damn you straight to hell._


	13. Amazing, Anti-Climaxes, and Averages

_**Chapter 13**_

_**Authors Notes: **_

_**Ok finally posting something. I had another story intrude on this one's time. Sorry. It wouldnt' leave me alone until I typed it out. So I posted the preview here on just for fun. I'm actually liking it. It's called Summoning the Zenko and is actually mainly about Lisanna, Lucy, Levy, and Cana. Yeah leave it to me to not take a normal approach. I think it's intresting take a look when you get the chance and tell me what you think? Anyway, back to Hawkeye.**_

_**Oh yeah and Fairy Tail isnt' mine. **_

Lucy had freaked out a bit when she glanced over at her passenger and noted his fetal position and the rapid greening not only in his face but also along his colors. Doing a 180 on to the edge of the track leaning over she unbuckled him before jumping out of the car to pull him out. Laying him down onto the ground with as much care as she could given her lack of upper body strength she places his head in her lap.

"Natsu!? What's wrong? Is it something you ate?" she gently touches his cheek with the back of her hand noting his flushed features. Closing her eyes to focus on his vibrations she frowns when she finds that they don't seem...like a 'true' illness. In fact already his energy readings where balancing back out to what was his version of normal. Though his 'fire' was a bit dampened it was now fading back to his healthy colors. She frowns for a moment before she gets a whiff of his spicy scented breath.

_Ginger? Wait. No way..._

"You have motion sickness..." she whispers in shock. " That's why you always smell like ginger!" Natsu grimaces in faint pain, but not from his stomach but rather his ego. He had not wanted her to find out.

At least not yet, anyway.

_So much for being cool and stuff __**Captain. **__Now she's going to think your a wuss..._

A gentle hand smooths hair out of his face. "Looks like you aren't that infallible as I thought. But I don't get how you can ride a bike but not in a car." Her voice isn't accusing or even mildly judgemental. Opening hesitant eyes up towards her he sees slight bemusement but soft understanding he can't help but trust her for just a moment. Fighting a blush he takes the plunge. "It's why I name my bikes...It helps lower it to more manageable levels. My little sister makes a great drink that works for hours...but I can't ask her to keep making it for me all the time as it takes a while to make and she's got school and stuff."

"The Captain of the feared and infamous Dragonriders has motion sickness." He looks off to shut his eyes, crossing his arms in irritation. But Lucy can tell it's more so at his own perceived weakness than at her.

"Yeah well sorry for being a weak mortal."

She gently turns his head back to her. She blows in his face suddenly causing him to pop his eyes open to look at her in surprise.

"But...if you ask me it's kind of nice. You have a weakness you have found a way to cope with and function to do a job your dedicated to. I dunno...cool." She kisses his forehead, absently noting that he is still abnormally warm. "Just stop being so hard on yourself, and don't say you're not, I can tell. Your doing a better job that you think." she just smiles brightly at him. Suddenly the area lights shut off plunging them into darkness. Natsu starts in surprise and almost jumps up. Lucy, however, had expected this. Lucy keeps a hand pressed to his head to keep him down. "Chill, Since there hasn't been any large moments on the track for over 15 minutes the lights auto shut off. Laxus had them put in as a kind of way of preventing the need for switches. He loved this old place. So do I. But honestly I like it better with the lights out."

"Why?"

"Keep looking up, once your eyes adjust you'll see."

It was a new moon night and after a few seconds faint flickers of light start to spread across the sky. Soon as far as he can see there are twinkles here and there. Though the city was only 10 miles or so away all the very tall trees did a good job of breaking up the ambient light letting a good number of the stars show.

"I'm a sucker for all things related to stars. I almost wanted to become an Astronomer. BUT...I was lazy." she laughs. Natsu picks up her hand from his head and holds it tightly. "Of all the things I could call you...lazy isn't one of them."

"No but I do take the path of least resistance. Which in a sense is laziness." Natsu thinks for a long moment, having long ago recovered his equilibrium but preferring to stay where he was. As long as she's willing to proved a pillow he was willing to relax. "Maybe but how many people who take the path of least resistance own their own business, have a degree and a certification, which might I add you earned when you where 18."

"You competed in international youth martial arts competitions. And I'm sure you have a degree too."

"Mechanical Engineering." He shrugs.

"See!? That is **not** an easy degree."

"Then we're both special."

"Sweet pickle bus special..."

Natsu laughs gently. "Your as bad as I am about accepting complements." He detects a sudden rise in heat from her upper body and can't help but grin. She really is cute.

"Then let's just be happy that at least one person we know thinks we're awesome and leave it at that? Deal?"

"Deal."

* * *

**3am**

Ok. So that lasted *a lot* longer than she expected.

_Not that I'm complaining. _Lucy smiles to herself as she realizes that aside from the first consultation that was the first time she and Natsu could freely talk without the worry about Freed overhearing.

He had asked. Both questions actually. The second she wasn't sure he would so soon.

_But then I knew he would. I'm never going to hear the end of it from Levy..._ Lucy stops as she puts her first foot on the steps up to her flat. She pauses.

_oh shit..._ Sighing she just continues the march. No point in putting off the inevitable. _Death march...I had hoped I didn't trip her senses...but I did. Dammit. It's too late/early in the night/morning for this._

The instant she opened the door she stared at her couch, where she knew her intruder would be.

"Cana, it is too early in the morning for this."

"Welcome home, Lucy~! Who's the hottie that made this sweet ass Barbeque and since when have you two developed such a close relationship? **AND** Most importantly: Why didn't you tell me? Hey, you got any beer?" Lucy simply slumps against her closed-door, tired.

Sometimes it really sucked having a Tarot reading Clairvoyant as a future sister-in-law.

* * *

That was one load off his chest. she had accepted...they had a little less than 2 weeks to get her ready to go back into the fray of street racing and all under the Fairy Tail banner too. It was great...all was well. He hummed to himself as he opened his apartment door. A whiff of a familiar aftershave causes him to pause.

"Your Late. Come in and close the door. Not good to linger in doorways."

_That entirely depends on whether or not you want to deal with the people inside. _

"Didn't know I had a meeting,Gramps."

The short gentlemen snorts from his place in Natsu's easy chair. "I hear your working on a new recruit and that it's a woman. Good job. You know I always like to have more eye candy around."

"God, you're a freaking pervert."

"I prefer it to think that I have a healthy appreciation of feminine beauty."

"Call it what you want but I still think you're a letch." There is a snort of laughter. "So, she any good? When do I get to meet her?" Natsu looks over from hanging up his coat and glares. "She's good, and trusts me. If I introduce her to you she'll reconsider the second offer and I don't want to lose that deal either just because you had to mettle. She'll drive for us under our far as bringing her into the fold, she's thinking about it. Her guard dog *is* one of us. He's just gotten comfortable."

Eyes that have seen much in eighty some odd years (he refused to be very specific about his age, even when asked) look sharply at him. "What is this girls name?"

One rose-colored eyebrow lifts in surprise. "Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

Voracious laughter suddenly fills the living room.

_That girl...she always had the gift Finding the very things I don't want her to and then upon doing so defying all expectations. Not only does Natsu not cause problems he seems just as stable as ever...if not more so. Less bruises that's for sure. This might actually work. So long as...' _he pauses and suddenly looks serious. _It's more dangerous now. More so than ever before. Maybe it's a good idea to keep more protection around her? At least until all this is cleared up._

"I actually was here to tell you of some serious situations."

"You mean aside from them attempting to flush out sleeper units of N-gage units?"

"Sharper than many would give you credit for, but there is more much more to this plan."

"How big is this?"

"Brain is dead."

Natsu's eyes narrow as that hit home. Brain, the head of one of the smallest but influential gangs, was dead. "But his gang is still making movements. Organized movements. Did someone else move up?"

"It looks like someone **else** took over them and I'm not really sure the lower members know. Brain was never one to be very close to his members. His way of making sure if they screw up he didn't go down with them. He usually send his orders in round about ways and only every few days. I suppose it wouldn't be hard to eliminate him and take his place with that kind of system."

"That is going to be a head ache for us."

"I want you to find out what you can about this at that race. Some one's trying to stage a gang war to hide something else and I want to know what it is." The old man stands up and begins to pull on his jacket as he walks to the door opening it. Natsu's not far behind to close up after him.

"Yes sir."

"Oh yes, and Natsu?"

"Yeah, Gramps?"

"What size do you think she it?"

"Huh?"

"Cup size, man! Cup Size! I'm trying to keep a record of all the girls in Fairy Tail...Ya know just to get a rough average..."

"You do know that is sexual harassment right? That you could get sued?"

"Well I'm an old man...I gotta get my kicks some how. So...really, C? D? _**DD? ***gasp*** E?"**_Natsu just shuts the door in his face. "Good night Gramps."

* * *

"Cana? Does Laxus know your here?"

"Nope, and you'd better be glad about that. He'd want to know **why** I was here. You know I don't like lying to him and you know what he would do should he have even an inkling on why I'm here." Lucy paled at that. If Freed was over protective Laxus was the equivalent of a mobile jail cell when he wanted to be. Especially If he felt particularly overbearing. After her last boyfriend she's pretty sure he'd make an excuse to come home and stay at her place 'just to spend time with her.' All the while running Natsu off. Though...that might be easier said than done. Still she didn't want those two meeting just yet. "Fine why ARE you here?"

"I had to check up on you...and I did a reading that concerned me. I had a vision that startled me and I had to make sure. I already put my stuff in the spare room."

"Gee make yourself at home."

"I could do that better if I had some booze."

"Cana..."

"I'm going to check up on this boy while Laxus isn't here getting in the way. And I think you would prefer me to him, because I won't cock block." Lucy blushes hotly.

"Yes he **is** good with his hands and if you play your cards right, you'll find that out first hand."

"C-Cana!?"

"What? Your thinking about it and I'm sure he is too. Your healthy and you look hot in leather. Have you worn leather around him? You need to, makes any girl's rack look amazing."

"I **work **on cars for a living. Leather and car work don't mix. "

"Who said anything about wearing it to work? Wait, he hangs around during your work hours? And Freed hasn't had kittens yet?"

"Only because it's biologically impossible. But he has attempted to on several occasions."

Cana sits back in thought but then smiles down at the girl she thought of as her sister already. Hugging her tightly. "Your so cute! You came from seeing him just now didn't you? I smell ginger. Not your usual scent. Hmm he had to be really close for it to get on you that bad." Cana's eyes had a sly slant to them as she gazed down at the shorter girl next to her. Lucy blushed softly as she remembered the goodbye hug they'd shared. Though it wasn't anything too intimate the warmth and strength of his form had been comforting and as her senses dulled she had almost felt...normal. Like a normal girl hanging out with a guy that she sorta-kinda-liked-but-couldn't-admit-it-to-anyone-especially-not-him, liked. She had held on just alittle longer than was platonically acceptable but he didn't seem too bothered by it. If he was ok with that she would be too. "Uh...yeah he felt a little under the weather so I helped him out a bit and we hugged."

"_Just _hugged?"

"_**Just **_hugged."

"Well damn. That's anti-climactic. Literally in some cases."

Lucy stands up."*I'm* going to bed. You can stay up if you like, but I still have work in the morning." Cana grins. "Alright, I'll let you go for now. But tomorrow I'm going to see for myself." Silently groaning she trudged into her room knowing that she'll need as much sleep as she can get to help with the forth coming day.


	14. The Gift Best Kept to Yourself

**Chapter 14 **

**Author's Notes: This one took longer than I liked to come out. Having school assignments and a full time job...and keeping up with my manga and anime addictions takes time. :( but here it is. It's a bit of a 'filler' chapter, I know but I wanted to give a idea of what each of the sections of the puzzle is doing right now.**

A chubby hand tugs at the skirt of a young woman leaning over the display case filled with various sweets for the tempting. It must be something interesting indeed to have pulled the little one's attention."Mama Lookit~!"

"Not now honey. I'm trying to talk to the nice man here." The woman at the counter turns back to speaking with the bartisa. "Yes, I would like a quad shot in the dark with room for cream a scone and a apple juice..."

"Alright, will that be all for you~?!"

She was completely unprepared for the sudden shattering of the glass store front or the rain of bullets that showered through. Screams pieced the air and shouting she could feel when the pastry display case began to rain fragments. Her only thought being if she could get to her child fast enough and pray that they both make it out of here alive.

* * *

Natsu hummed to himself as he walked into Hardbodies thinking more about the shop owner than the things he had to finish for his bike. Last night had it's bumps but all in all he thinks it turned out pretty damn great. Humming to himself he opens the door. "Hey! LU~!" He stops as he stares at a unknown woman sitting in what was usually Lucy's place at this time of day. He doesn't remember her mentioning a new hire...and while he questioned Freeds sexuality he was pretty sure that he would've kept his hair color...and eye color as he seemed pretty vain about both..and probably wore more clothes. Who the hell wore a bikini top to work, out side of swimsuit models?

"Yo. You must be Mr. Mystery man hanging around my little Lucy-chan."

_Great, another guard dog? Is that...alcohol?_

"Uh...I'm Natsu...and You are...?"

"Cana. Cana Alberona." she takes a drink out of a coffee cup which proudly proclaimed: "Apathy, If we don't care enough, maybe the customer's will go away!" He blinks. "Uh..Nice to meet you."

"So, how's it going trying to get her in the sack?"

"Huh?"

"Cause she can be a bit slow. Dense really when it comes to people being attracted to her. Sometimes you gotta just beat her over the head and toss her over your shoulder all caveman like for her to get..."

"CANA!?" Lucy is standing in the doorway in her overalls and hair in one wild ponytail. Her face was very red.  
"What? Just tryin' ta help ya." Lucy marches up and grabs the mug sniffing it.

"Really!? Do you know what **time** it is?"

"'bout 11."

"Exactly."

"It's 5pm somewhere."

"UGH! Do not embarrass me. Treat the customers right, and for the love of Mavis put on a shirt!" The woman just rolls her eyes.

"You know, if you showed some skin you'd have more men in here."

"For all the wrong reasons. Leave Natsu alone." Lucy sighs in frustration. "Come on Natsu, you don't need to be sexually harassed by Cana...she can do that to the customers." Cana pouts.

Natsu blinks both at the situation and at her wording. A slow, confident smile begins to grace his once blankly perplexed features. _So...I'm firmly out of the category of customer, then. Good. But let's find out where I'm filed in her life..._

Natsu chuckles. "She seems like a good friend."

"Yeah...if you don't mind her loose lips, drunkenness, tendency to nose into my business, and freaky ability to have HORRIBLE timing for interfering." She sighs softly before continuing ever so softly. "But I wouldn't trade her for anything. She's like a sister to me."

"And Freed's your brother..." Natsu laughs.

"One of them."

"Wait one?"

"It's like when I lost my family my new family got huge..oh yeah, I never told you about Laxus. I'm trying to keep him from coming home too much. He's kinda...overbearing."

"Right so Freed's the worrywart mom, Cana the meddling sister, and Laxus the overbearing big brother."

Lucy giggles. "Yes, but he's not so bad."

"Classic last words. He's not bad to YOU. He's your over protective older brother. He doesn't have any reason to keep me alive."

"Yes he does. If he hurts you is adorable little sister would become very angry and probably try and shoot off various parts of his body."

"Do you always threaten your family members like that?"

"Only to those I love dearly. Family gets the most gruesome punishments because they can handle it. Everyone else simply gets shot or broken bones."

"Remind me not to piss you off...especially not when your packing."

"I'm always packing. But no I wouldn't use my gun on you. For you would have to be something special...probably run you over."

_Ah...there it is. _He smiles to himself as he shrugs out of his riding jacket."Well that makes me feel so much better..." And it did.

"You should. I don't take getting blood on my cars lightly." she laughs as she climbs into her latest job, a 69 Camero done in red with white stripes. It was a convertible, but it still didn't make him want to ride in it. But if he could end up in Lucy's lap afterwards it might not be that bad...

He has walked over to his temporary work area. He's pulled on a metal working face mask and is starting to play with his blow torch. He had wanted to add some customized metal working to his bike. Having no nearby metal working areas that would accept such jobs, and having some skill of his own working with blow torches he had decided to do it himself. Gajeel was to come today to help him work with it. Natsu never wore a apron and Lucy having once mentioned it he had simply shrugged and said: "I won't catch." She had looked curious but had not questioned him on it. The subject of powers had not come up but he could see moments when she seemed to look as if she was going to say something but then would decide against it. He kept his peace. She would come to truly trust him and tell him on her own.

About a hour into their work Gajeel comes through the garage door and looks around like everything was offending him by it's presence alone. Which Lucy's come to understand is his normal expression. Natsu looks up. "HEY your late."

"Shut it. Be glad I came at all. Your seams look like shit. Just because you melt it doesn't mean your done. Gimme that."

Natsu glares but hands it over.

"So how's it going?" The bigger man murmurs absently.

"She'll think about it."

"Uh yeah I was actually referring to you trying to get with her. But that's intrestin' too." Natsu glares at him again. "Slowly...but well. I didn't break her window trying to throw rocks at it to get her attention, unlike some people I know..."

"HEY! We agreed not to talk about that."

"Especially since she still thinks some vandals did it. Honesty is the foundation of your relationship I see..."

"Shut up you jackass!"

"Make me!"

Most people would be rather upset that there where presently two fit men attempting to have a fight while holding dangerously hot metal and a blowtorch, Lucy however, just grins. Though she did wonder when that became normal around her usually quiet shop. So far, from what she has noticed, Natsu's closest male friends usually end up fighting. First he and Grey, now he and Gajeel. Though they would never agree that's the case. She could tell easily as though they might verbally and physically fight their aura's never changed their strangely harmonious relationship. Gajeel had a gift with metal working...somehow it just made what he wanted in record time. The shaping bending and molding was Gajeel's job. Natsu however, could get the blowtorch to the perfect height and light it in no time and maintain it. He somehow never had the flame too high or too low and the metal stayed warmer longer after he worked with it allowing Gajeel to manipulate it longer. It was a very odd way of working. But she couldn't argue with results as each piece was finished quickly. She hears more footsteps and looks back

"Levy? What are you doing here?"

"You have two muscle bound men sweating and working in your garage...one of which is my boyfriend. Why wouldn't I be here? I want to stare too. I brought pop." Lucy blinks and blushes faintly. She had always been a bit oblivious to men, usually. Probably because she hung around them too much. But if she took a mental step back to simply observe part of her perked and admitted that Levy was quite right. Metal working was hard and hot work. Thus it had a very high probably of producing hot hardworking men...yeah. Though the starting products weren't bad either.

"Alright, I can see your point. Cana's here too so don't go giving her any ammo."

"Oh fun...wait. No that's bad in the present situation..." Levy looks off at Lucy's glare before she sighs.

"She's just being annoying nothing big."

Levy snorts in elegantly. "No she sees what Bisca and I saw, only with *her* you can't argue that she's making it up seeing as she just got here." Lucy huffs and goes to stuff her head into the engine again.

"OOOh, no arguments this time either. *gasp* what happened? You have to tell me."

Lucy shushed her. "He has creepy good hearing. Hush!"

"Huh? oh...yeah...he does. He told you about that?"

"What?"

"Nothing never mind. Anyway the race is coming up soon. SURE you don't want to race?" Sitting up Lucy looks at Levy thoughtfully something just on the edges of her speculation. "I' was thinking about it...but I don't want the headache of racing under no name. Brings up unwanted questions and situations." Lucy intentionally answers as if she hadn't already decided. She was curious about her friend's involvement in this. She eyes Levy's aura out of the corner of her eye.

"You could always ask..." she lets it hang off earning her another sigh from Lucy.

_So she's not as involved in this as she or I think. Which means Natsu's actually doing all these things on his own? Oh my, I think I am impressed more than before._ The Captain's standings just jumped a few spaces in her book.

"I know and by the end of today, I probably will." she pulls out the faulty valve and frowns at it's state, her mind elsewhere. "But there is more. Something's brewing in Magnolia and I don't like it. They encroached on to No man's land and I want to make sure it's not the locals. They would never do that." The azure headed student just looks at Lucy. "Going to poke?"

"At least a reading of the groups. Some balance has been thrown and I don't like it."  
"What would you do with information once you got it though? It's just us and technically if your not on a hunt even your bounty hunting license won't protect you."

"I know but at least with the knowledge I would have a means of figuring out their next move and protecting my shop and The Chamber. We did nothing to warrant being caught up in this. And I'm not about to sit idly by while all hell breaks loose around us without a plan of defense."

Levy leans against the car. It was already starting. The pop up gang clashes had stopped and was now more of a war. The two groups clashing at any moment whenever any group met. Though they seemed to everywhere the other one was. And that wasn't normal. Gangs had set places they frequented and they where militant about knowing which places where under who's control. For them to just suddenly start overlapping. That was weird and no gang head would allow it. Despite what outsiders thought organized crime was called 'organized' for a reason. There where unspoken rules to be adhered to. When you didn't there where consequences and the enemy of your enemy will be the 'friend that may take you out for breaking the rules.

_Kinda like politics._

Lucy had no doubt figured all this out.

Looking at here brown eyed friend, covered in oil and a pair of fairly unattractive overalls, and can't help but laugh at the dichotomy she presented. Blonde and cute but brilliant and cunning, (that was a rude stereotype anyway...). She was dirty and practical as needed but a stickler for being clean and liked cute things and nice smelling body-washes. Loyal to her friends but finicky about who gets to be one. It's small wonder why Natsu was curious. There where many layers to Lucy, despite how predictable she can be. Predictability does not denote simple or shallow Levy has learned. She leans into the engine and looks at Lucy. "Over lunch you can ask him to ride under their name. It would also serve as a form of protection. Not many people want to mess with the 'Riders and they all steer clear of the girls in that group. I should know."she looks smug.

"Because I'm sure you have men just lining up trying to steal you away from tall, dark, riveted and brooding over there."

"Hey!"

"It's true though. And he probably tells you to stay in the car a lot." The small girl puffs her cheeks out in annoyance before crossing her arms. "Maybe that's true but..."

"You kinda like it because it means he cares for you, I know." warm brown eyes smile knowingly at her. "You guys are so cute."

"Shut up." But there's no heat in the comment. Both girls start as some of the police cars in front of the Chamber suddenly run screaming off and speed by the front of their shop. Lucy shivers slightly. Levy looks at her knowingly. "What?"

"It's just...the emotions. This has rattled them, badly." Levy turned on her cell phone and turns on the police scanner app. She twists her mouth in ironic amusement as she remembers she and Lucy's first scanner and how it had to be mounted in her car...and the wires. Oh Technology, how you make life easier...and lazier.

* * *

Freed sat there looking more than a little irritated. He'd rather be making sure the horn dog kept his hands to himself at Lucy's shop than being here but even he had obligations.

"We may have to call him back." The red haired woman says softly over her tea causing he and two others to stop. She's looking up at the TV with hard eyes. Mira walks over placing down a tray of refreshments. "Yes, it's getting harder to contain this. We have to stop it." All eyes watch as paramedics strap down a woman on a gurney. A child held by a cop just stares in shock as he's wrapped in a blanket tightly. That looked familiar, disturbingly so.

That was the look Lucy had when she came into his and Laxus's life. The linguist sighs and has to agree. This was not acceptable.

"Their casting suspicion on us with all this. We cannot tolerate it." the long haired brunette with glasses at the end of the table spoke up. Evergreen always had a slightly haughty air to her voice but he could detect the faint tremble of her rage.

"Only we cannot find Master Hades and Brain is dead and left as a warning. We can only assume one of two things. That Master Hades is somewhere in the same condition of Brain or that he is hiding to keep from having Brain's fate."

"Or he's the master puppeteer." Bixlow suggests ominously.

"But we don't know anything and the Rider's haven't discovered anything lately." Erza says rubbing her forehead. This had to be handled and soon. Master was starting to be looked at a little too closely for all the wrong reasons.

* * *

Things where proceeding along as expected and those faires could do nothing to stop it. One wrong move and they where going to be implicated and without information they where sure to make a bad move. After all...*he'd* been the one to train their own master. Even with time passing the way it has Markolov was the same. His bleeding heart and desire to be too good would always do him in. By the time they figured this out it would be too late anyway. He eyed the product critically. It was only a vial to the untrained eye. But to those that knew knew just how much he was holding.

_Just think. This little vial no bigger than my pinky is worth more than 100-grand. Fool countries made it illegal but there are still places that would pay good money to get their hands on samples of this. _He was just being a good businessman after all it's nothing but a play of supply and demand. And their certainly was a demand...

he just chuckles as yet another 16-wheeler rolls out of the warehouse. It was truly good to run the chess board. There where no surprises that he he didn't already predict and have a plan in place for. It is a pity when you are a true master of the game because you can find no real challenge. No opponent that you can truly count as your equal...

pity really.

But such is the fate of a genius. _We all have our burdens we must bare. _

* * *

Cana starts from her doze on the front counter and frowns. That dream had been particularly specific and vivid. She frowns down at her coffee cup. Go figure since she got the good stuff this time around. She props her head up in her hand eyes narrowed in thought. Her ability was very useful most of the time, vague 15% of the time, and a pain in the ass every other day. It also didn't help that alcohol aided in her ability to _see._ It's not that she particularly **enjoyed **drinking so much. Though it was a lovely stress reliever. It made visions much easier for her to receive. There was some technical jargon Lucy theorized. Something about the booze making her physical senses dulled thus making the mind more receptive to the visions...something like that. Whatever. It worked. And apparently, the better quality of the alcohol the more vivid the visions and dreams become. And this one wasn't one that was a very a clear one. It actually looked more like a sci fi thriller than a real vision. What did vials, 16-wheelers and, a race have to do with anything? And why the impression of speed? Did it have to do with the race? UGH. _This is why I don't bother with telling too many people what I see. How could I explain it? Not without looking more crazy than usual. Drunkard is easy to fix to people. Cray-cray isn't quite so easy to fix. _Never mind the fact that apparently she's really hard pressed to get drunk in the first place...and her liver is in excellent condition, thank you very much. It's rather like her body was completely built simply to facilitate her ability. _Convenient. _

Glancing back into the garage she can't help but smile. Lucy was finally getting more friends. She looked at ease and laughing. It was a long time coming. Having had similar experiences in her early childhood and the problem of abilities as well, she was very much aware of how such experiences could easily turn you into a jaded bitch. Cana was rather proud that she removed the 'bitch' part and was now only firmly in the jaded category. She just hoped she made it at least a entertaining experience. Glancing over at Natsu she smirks.

_He'd certainly grown up. I'm not surprised he doesn't remember me he __**was **__very young and very scared. Not that he would admit it now. Last I heard he had a sister and was being groomed to take over a segment of the Shadow area of the company. Wonder how that turned out. _Taking a swig of water from a bottle she kept near by she sighs and returns her mind back more important problems. She had to figure out that vision and report to Master. The urgency of the vision speaks of little time.

_Yet another thing I tend to hate about this visions, they never give you TIME to do anything...pretty damn rude of them too._

* * *

Having been volunteered to pick up lunch Natsu grimaces as he eyes the 'deathtrap' that was known as Gajeel's car. It strangely reeked of ginger too. Initially curious about the source Natsu was confused by the strangely bulbous, brown and cream looking stick. Sniffing it he sits back in surprise having never seen what it looked like un processed. "Ginger?"

Gajeel looks over. "Yeah...fresh. Only way I can get shit done. Dunno how you just use those damn tabs. Ain't strong enough." Natsu is staring at it curiously. "I'm on a bike...I'm taking a piece of this." he snaps off a piece and just shoves it into his mouth.

"HEY, That's mine!" Natsu ignores him as he shoves the bags of food into the back seat and under his legs. He has to fight a wince at the strength of it's bite both in his mouth and overwhelming his smell. BUT on the plus side he was only irritable and only mildly queasy rather than completely useless and begging to be put down. It made the idea of eating the roasted chickens they had picked up much more appealing. Well many things regarding food are way much more appealing than the idea of vomit. He had to find out where metal head got the stuff. It's pretty useful...even if it was hard to chew. Then again the guy he got it from has been known to take chunks out of metal pipes...this was probably nothing. Rolling his eyes Natsu turned his mind to more important things.

The police scanner chatter Levy had pulled up had bothered him. That coffee shop was a common place for their people to hand out at. Thankfully he had ordered them to steer clear of such places just in case, looks like it paid off. Frowning he remembers how Lucy had watched the cop cars as they sped past with a unreadable expression. Lucy tended to wear her expressions in the open. It made talking to her a wonderful experience, you pretty much knew where you stood with her at any given point. Which for him was a good thing as sometimes he missed the more subtler hints by people. But when she shut down like that it had rattled him and for reasons he had yet to fully identify, and frankly it was very hard to do so with metal head here fussing about the quality of his seams. H e knew his limits...having the patience to work with metal wasn't one of them. That's what he was here for.

Heat plates of metal it to a lovely glowing amber?

Sure.

Play with the blowtorch for the next few hours?

Hell, he was easy to please, it burns and makes a neat noise. Gladly.

Spend , possibly, countless hours meticulously bending and shaping a piece of metal into a pretty shape?

Ugh. Not so much. Takes too long.

Whatever possessed him to want to add metal parts to his bike again...? Oh yeah...an excuse to spend more time with Lucy. He grumbles slightly as it brings him right back around to the very person that started off his thoughts. A specific blonde he had very nearly asked out last night. What stopped him? Why didn't he ask her? Oh that's right.

He was a chicken-shit.

The rose haired man shifted and growled irritatedly in his seat more so from the uncomfortableness of that realization than the car's seat.

Natsu Dragneel feared no one.

Except, apparently, curvy blonde haired, brown eyed mechanics with a love of fire arms.

And Erza. Can't forget her. Ugh. But not for the same reasons.

Oh and a pissed Mira.

At least with Lucy he has a lot of warnings before she truly gets angry. He can back off a subject or calm her down before staring down the barrel of her gun or being on the receiving end of a Lucy-kick. But, if he was truthful, there was certain things he couldn't quite place about the object of his affections. Her history beyond a certain point seems to disappear. Even with Levy's considerable skills with the computer it's like Lucy Does not exist before age five. Then where where those moments where she becomes unreadable, as if she's remembering something she'd rather not. And her love of jackets. It's not really too cool yet but she insists on wearing light sweaters and track jackets. At first he just shrugged it off as necessity, fashion choice or habit due to her wearing a shoulder holster. He'd had to discard those ideas after he personally witnessed her show discomfort of the heat but refuse to take it off, despite the nice tank top she wore underneath and thus lack of holster. Yes, it was disappointing as he was looking forward to a better view but all that aside, he couldn't quite figure it out.

"Oi."

Maybe he should just ask her? They are on very good terms now...

"Oi."

Maybe better terms if he'd get off his lazy ass and ask her to go steady...

"Oi..!"

Groaning softly he thumps his head onto the passenger window.

Gads he sounded old. "Steady." Who said that anymore? Obviously, him. Maybe 'girlfriend' would be...

"**OI!" **

"**_What!?" _**

"Your making weird grunting noises in my car. That's sick. Stop it."

"Not like you don't do that."

"Yeah but it's **my **car. I can do that."

"Now who's sick?"

"Whatever. If ya, wanna know something ask. Don't be stupid. Bunny-girl likes ya."

Natsu, who had been revving for a fight stops in surprise at the sudden redirection of the conversation. "What makes you think this is about that anyway?" Gajeel cuts a annoyed glare over at Natsu.

" 'Cause I did the same thing. And that's the advice you gave me. So I'm givin' it back. She likes ya, go ask her out, and stop being a pussy. There, I said my part and I don't owe you shit anymore."

"For the record if you ever owe me shit we are going to need a long talk about what is an appropriate gift and what isn't. How would you know she likes me that way?"

"I have a girlfriend who is her best friend and still isn't sure how good our hearing is. I hear things. A lot of stuff I don't wanna hear either. You should thank me, by the way. Quit being a smart ass."

"At least I'm smart about it."

"Wait till we get out this car."

"Any time, ass. Anytime."


End file.
